Black Nerd Con curates the best conventions, festivals, and events serving the Black nerd community. Every listing meets our PIQ standards: Positivity, Inclusion, and Quality. A listing doesn’t imply affiliation, endorsement, or any claim to the brand. Every event belongs to its owner, and any owner can be removed on request. Here’s what we’re watching right now:

Eezyball 2026

Dallas, TX | Gilley’s Dallas | October 9-10, 2026

Berleezy presents EEZYBALL 2026, a two-night takeover of Gilley’s Dallas on October 9–10. Boogie oogie oogie with Berleezy and the Brus at a soul- and disco-themed party packed with music, food, drinks, dancing, surprise performances, and VIP meet-and-greets. This event is 21+.

Atlanime Fest 2026

Atlanta, GA | Center Parc Stadium | October 15-18, 2026

Atlanime Fest returns for “Episode 2: The Power Up,” Atlanta’s celebration of anime, music, gaming, food, and pop culture. Taking over Center Parc Stadium for a four-day weekend, the festival brings fans, cosplayers, artists, and creators together for panels, performances, tournaments, an artist market, and community at one of the city’s biggest anime parties.

Black Atlanta Comic Expo (B.A.C.E.)

Atlanta, GA | Crowne Plaza Peachtree | Oct. 31-Nov 1, 2026

The Black Atlanta Comic Expo (B.A.C.E.) makes its debut on Halloween weekend 2026, bringing together over 40 of the industry’s top Black comic creators for a weekend of storytelling, art, and community. Explore Artist Alley to meet and shop with premier illustrators and writers, dive into professional panels and hands-on workshops, and show off your best cosplay all weekend long. Family-friendly and costume-ready, B.A.C.E. invites everyone to come for the art, stay for the culture, and leave with their next favorite series.

VillainsCon 2026

Beaufort, SC | The Foundry | October 31-November 1, 2026

VillainsCon is a two-day convention for fans of villains and other baddies in media, hosted by Carolina nonprofit AthenaCLT+, a gaming community empowering allies to game in safe, inclusive spaces.

Previous Events:

Awesome Con 2026

Washington, DC |  Walter E. Washington Convention Center | March 13-15, 2026

Blerd will be vending and bringing first looks to some of its latest drops at Awesome Con 2026. If you’re a Blerd, you definitely want to stop by booth #2449 the weekend of March 13th-15th.

Virtuous Con 2026

Virtual | February 21-22, 2026

*editors disclaimer* Blerd provides marketing services for this event.

Toriyama Day 2026

Buffalo, NY | OSB Ciderworks | April 11, 2026

Hidden Village Events brings Buffalo’s beloved Toriyama Day back with a full night of cosplay, competition, and community. DJ IYKYK sets the soundtrack while guests battle in Dragon Ball FighterZ and Sparking Zero, compete for cosplay prizes, and dig into a signature ramen bar with one free cup per attendee.

Magical Girls Masquerade Ball

Jersey City, NJ | Champagne Problems | April 16, 2026

Moonies Club brings a magical girl masquerade ball to Liberty Science Center After Dark on April 16, with a cosplay meetup, dance party, and skyline photo moments starting at 8:30 PM. The night also includes access to museum exhibitions, a planetarium space talk, a nerdy vendor market, and DJ sets by LAN Party.

Blerdtaku Blerd Womens Appreciation Party

New York, NY | Champagne Problems | April 17, 2026

Blerdtaku Takeover is a night event celebrating Black women in anime, art, and geek culture through a fashion show, community games, and the debut of BLERDLESQUE, an artistic tribute to femininity and fantasy. Presented in honor of Black Women’s History Month, it’s a space where Black women are centered, seen, and celebrated exactly as they are.

Black Girl Book Fair 2026

Virtual | April 25, 2026

The Black Girl Book Fair is a one-day, live shopping event seeking to amplify authors pushed to the margins in mainstream publishing founded by Jacque Aye

Villains Ball 2026

Washington, DC | The 507 | May 2, 2026

Plus Ultra Entertainment’s Villains Ball returns to Washington, DC on May 2nd for a 21+ upscale costume ball celebrating the best villains across anime, comics, sci-fi, Disney, and beyond. Guests enjoy an open bar, dinner, dessert by a celebrity chef, a cosplay catwalk, and compete for the title of 2026 Villain of the Year.

Atlanta Black Fae Fest

Warm Springs, GA | Mystic Woods | May 8-10, 2026

ATL Black Fae Fest returns for its third annual Black Fae Day Festival May 8-10 in Mystic Woods, Georgia, a two-night immersive Afrofantasy glamping experience celebrating Black imagination, folklore, and community. Expect live performances, Black-owned vendors, workshops, and overnight amenities including a sauna, hot tub, and cold plunge for camping guests.

Black Fae Day 2026

Global | May 9, 2026

Black Fae Day is a celebration and organization founded by Jasmine La Fleur, dedicated to expanding High Fantasy through Black artistry, storytelling, and community, both online and in person. The Black Fae Day annual holiday is celebrated on the second Saturday of May each year. The 2026 theme is Realms & Factions. A list of the officially vetted Black Fae Day events can be found directly on the Black Fae Day website.

Black Geeks of MomoCon Photoshoot

Atlanta, GA | Georgia World Congress Center | May 23, 2026

The Black Geeks of MomoCon photoshoot is having an annual photo gathering on Saturday, May 23 at 7:00 PM inside the International Lounge at the Georgia World Congress Center, hosted by @asking.eboni, @blerdover, and @blerdography17. If you’re a Blerd at MomoCon, this is your moment to link, show out in your cosplay, and get your photo taken with your people.

HBCU Con 2026

Cantonsville, MD | Overhills Mansion | June 7, 2026

HBCU Con brings HBCU Geek Fest to Overhills Mansion in Catonsville, MD on June 7th, a 21+ culture-forward afternoon of gaming, cosplay, panels, and complimentary gourmet food with a live DJ setting the tone. The MAGFest-powered video game arcade, artist and vendor exhibition, and 420 friendly patio round out a full day built for gamers, creators, and HBCU alumni.

Schomburg Centennial Festival 2026

Harlem, NY | Schomburg Center | June 13, 2026

The Schomburg Centennial Festival returns to Harlem on Saturday, June 13, 2026, a free all-day celebration marking 100 years of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Running 11 AM to 7 PM along 135th Street and inside the landmark building at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, the festival blends literary programming with the beloved Black Comic Book Festival, featuring author talks, panels, workshops, a bookish marketplace, and the fan-favorite Very Black Cosplay Showcase. The day closes with live musical performances and an old-school block party, a celebration of Black joy and intellectual life out in the open, on the street, and free for all.

Dream Con 2026

Houston, TX | George R. Brown Convention Center | July 10-12, 2026

Blerd will be vending at Dream Con 2026 and once again bringing exclusive Blerd drops that you can only get at Dream Con. Blerd looks forward to seeing you at one of the biggest Black nerd meetups in the country!

Atlantic Comic Con 2026

Norfolk, VA | Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel | Aug 22-23, 2026

Atlantic Comic Con returns to Norfolk, VA for its third year on August 22 to 23, 2026, bringing fans, creators, and cosplayers together for a full weekend celebration of comics, anime, gaming, and pop culture. Explore an Artist Alley packed with incredible talent, dive into panels and workshops covering everything from comic storytelling to cosplay craftsmanship, and battle it out in the gaming zone with tournaments and the latest titles. With special guests, cosplay contests, and an official afterparty at Waterside, there’s something for every kind of fan.

Seattle Black Nerd Festival 2026

Seattle, WA | Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute | August 28-30, 2026

Now in its second year, the Seattle Black Nerd Festival is a free, three-day celebration of Black creativity, curiosity, and connection. Hosted by LANGSTON at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, it brings fans, artists, creators, innovators, and families together to nerd out over anime, gaming, science fiction, technology, film, cosplay, music, and visual art — with panels and workshops, a gaming lounge, an artist marketplace, film screenings, and live performances.

Blerdtaku Con

Brooklyn, NY | Japan Village | September 4-5, 2026

Blerdtaku Con makes its debut September 4 to 5, 2026 at Japan Village in Brooklyn, NYC’s newest anime convention celebrating the creativity and power of the Blerd community and beyond. This woman-owned, inclusivity-first event brings together anime, manga, gaming, and music across two days of cosplay showcases, gaming tournaments, live DJs, fashion shows, a vendor market, and a maid cafe. Open to families and fans of every kind, the motto says it all: be safe, be seen, be blerdtaku.

PAX West 2026

Seattle, WA | Seattle Convention Center | September 4-7, 2026

PAX West is a convention for gamers happening at the Seattle Convention Center. PAX Together is why it lands on this calendar. PAX Together is PAX’s diversity initiative, built on the belief that games should be for everyone and made by anyone and has frequently highlighted BIPOC creators. The Intersection, is a supportive space for women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and neurodivergent gamers, with a games library spotlighting independent and BIPOC creators and safe-space tabletop sessions run by volunteer Intersection Storytellers. Demo Days puts BIPOC tabletop developers on the Expo Hall floor as exhibitors, and the PAX Together Fellowship highlights rising BIPOC devs and content creators.

Blerd at Game & Geek Expo 2026

Raleigh, NC | Raleigh Convention Center | September 5-6, 2026

Blerd will be vending at Game & Geek Expo 2026 in downtown Raleigh! Use code BLERDVIP for 25% off tickets and stop by the marketplace to see the Blerd Team before we head to Lore Con.

Black Geeks of Dragon Con Photoshoot

Atlanta, GA | Hilton Atlanta (back steps E and G) | September 6, 2026 | 2PM-3:30PM EST

One of the absolute best Black cosplayer photoshoots in the country, the Black Geeks of Dragon Con photoshoot is one you cant miss if you want to see some of the best Black cosplay there is! Annually held at Dragon Con, this event is one of the hallmarks of the Blerd community.

Magical Girls Festival 2026

New York City, NY | Industry City | September 26, 2026

The Magical Girls Festival is the largest fan-organized event for magical girls in the United States founded by Victoria Johnson aka Sailor Victoria.

Lore Con 2026

Durham, NC | Durham Convention Center | September 26-27, 2026

Lore Con is a two-day cultural convention built for fans, creators, and community. We celebrate the stories, passions, and communities that make us who we are. Pop Culture. Anime. Gaming. Comics. Streetwear. Tech. Music. Whether you create it, collect it, or live it This Is Your Con. Build Your Lore. Curated by Lorehous, LLC

*editors disclaimer* Lore Con is produced by Lorehous, LLC, founded by Terril Fields & founder & CEO of Blerd, LLC

Blerd at Lore Con 2026

Durham, NC | Durham Convention Center | September 26-27, 2026

Blerd will be vending at Lore Con 2026 and bringing exclusive Blerd releases that you can only get at Lore Con. The Blerd Team is at booth #17 in the vendor hall at the Durham Convention Center. Build Your Lore with us!

Touch Grass Music Fest

Orlando, FL | Orlando Amphitheater | Oct. 3, 2026

Touch Grass Music Fest is an annual live experience built by Touch Grass TV, a creative collective bringing the diverse cultures of the internet into the real world. Fans, musicians, and online creators come together for a day rooted in presence, authenticity, and the kind of connection that only happens offline.