AX 2026 Prep Guide
Anime Expo Is Huge. Here Is How to Find Us and Survive the Weekend.
Anime Expo 2026 is July 2-5 in downtown Los Angeles. concon will be downstairs in Kentia Hall at KH-124 + KH-224.
AX is the biggest anime convention weekend of the year, which means the good version and the hard version are happening at the same time: amazing artists, massive halls, friends everywhere, and also lines, heat, sore feet, dead phones, and at least one moment where you ask yourself why the escalator line has lore.
This year, it is worth planning a little harder. The Los Angeles Convention Center is in the middle of expansion and modernization work for LA28 Olympic readiness, so expect the area around the con to feel more hectic than usual. Build in extra time, check the official AX map before each day, and do not assume last year's walking route will be the fastest one.
Find concon at AX
Kentia Hall KH-124 + KH-224
Kentia Hall is downstairs. If you only walk South Hall or West Hall, you have not seen the whole con yet. Head down to Kentia for Artist Alley, exhibitors, and our booth.
Plan Like AX Is a Whole Side Quest
The best AX days usually start before you are inside the building. Screenshot the floor map, pick 3-5 must-visit booths, and leave room for wandering. The con is too big to treat like a normal shopping trip.
1. Save the booth number
Put concon KH-124 + KH-224 in your notes app so you are not trying to search Instagram with one bar of service.
2. Go downstairs early
Kentia gets busy. If there is something specific you want, visit before the afternoon crowd compresses every aisle.
3. Pad your schedule
Construction, detours, parking, badge lines, and food lines all stack. Give yourself 30-60 extra minutes when moving around downtown.
What to Wear to AX 2026
Comfort is not optional at AX. You are going to walk, stand, sit on questionable hallway carpet, wait outside, freeze in one room, overheat in another, and then somehow still want to take photos at 8 PM.
The easy outfit formula
Breathable shirt, broken-in shoes, light layer, hands-free bag, and one thing that starts conversations. A rhythm game shirt, VTuber charm, sticker-covered badge holder, or character lanyard does more social work than you think.
If you are planning to hit arcade meetups, afterparties, or just walk the whole con floor twice, sports-mesh apparel is a lifesaver. Cotton looks fine in the mirror and then betrays you by lunch.
DDR IIDX 5.1.1 Purple Shirt
Sports-mesh style polyester for long con days, arcade rooms, and anyone who wants their AX outfit to say "yes, I play."
DDR MAX 300 Hand Towel
Quick-dry microfiber, useful for heat, arcade sessions, cosplay repairs, and the classic "I need to wipe down my water bottle" moment.
SDVX White Drawstring Bag
Lightweight backup storage for prints, stickers, small hauls, and whatever you swore you were not going to buy but absolutely did.
AX Packing Checklist
[ ] Badge and ID
[ ] Phone battery pack
[ ] Refillable water bottle
[ ] Snacks or electrolyte packets
[ ] Comfortable broken-in shoes
[ ] Light hoodie or layer
[ ] Tote or drawstring bag
[ ] Poster tube or print sleeve
[ ] Hand towel
[ ] Hand sanitizer
[ ] Cash backup
[ ] Saved map with KH-124 + KH-224
About the Construction Situation
AX is always intense, but 2026 has an extra variable: the LACC expansion and modernization project. The venue is expected to remain open during construction, but "open" does not always mean "everything feels normal."
Expect more signage, possible walkway changes, busier curbside areas, and more people trying to figure things out at the same time. If you are driving, check parking before leaving. If you are taking transit or rideshare, plan where you want to exit before you arrive. If you are meeting friends, pick a backup meetup point that is not just "by the entrance."
Tiny planning tip that saves the whole day
Make Kentia Hall your first or second stop, not your "if we have time" stop. Downstairs areas can feel out of the way if you are tired, and the best con finds are usually the ones you remembered to hunt for early.
What to Look for at the concon Booth
We will have the kind of merch that makes sense for AX: stickers, charms, lanyards, card skins, apparel, towels, bags, VTuber designs, anime and game merch, and rhythm game pieces for the people who immediately recognize the deep cuts.
We are also trying to make production deadlines for a few new pieces before AX, including new maimai merchandise. Convention prep is always a race against the calendar, but if everything lands in time, Kentia Hall will be the first place to see some of it in person.
Small, easy to pack, perfect for badge holders, water bottles, laptops, and trading with friends.
Acrylic bag charms are the sweet spot for showing a fandom without carrying something huge all day.
Useful for badges, arcade cards, hotel keys, and making your essentials harder to lose in the con fog.
DDR, IIDX, SDVX, PIU, Chunithm, Maimai, and more. Made for the people who end up at Round1 after the con.
We are pushing to finish new maimai items before AX. If the deadlines behave, check KH-124 + KH-224 for the newest rhythm game pieces.
See You Downstairs at AX
Save this now: Kentia Hall KH-124 + KH-224. Come say hi, shop the booth, and tell us what games you have been playing.
Browse Collections Before AXPopular items and sizes move fast at conventions. Planning before the con is extremely legal and emotionally correct.
