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I recently revived my love for anime and have immersed myself in all things related to it. Attending the Tampa Bay Comic Convention was one of them. Tampa Bay Comic Con has been around for years and each year, the attendance grows significantly; especially in the last couple of years.

It is held annually in the summer for three days, Friday through Sunday, in downtown Tampa at the Tampa Convention Center. Fans of comics, anime, manga, cosplay, toys, Star Wars, and art can explore hundreds of vendors in the Exhibit Hall. Plus, every year, there are a number of celebrities who attend to do meet and greets and photo ops.

This was my first time attending Tampa Bay Comic Con, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. If you’re a first-timer like me, here are some tips to help you get ready for this fun event.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE IN ADVANCE

The first thing you’ll want to do is buy tickets online. If you want special tickets like the Gold Pass, you’ll want to purchase that months in advance because they become unavailable after a certain date. I bought my tickets online three weeks in advance and the Gold Pass was already unavailable.

You have many choices between regular tickets, VIP Pass, Gold Pass, one-day pass, and so on. The event goes on for three days, Friday through Sunday, so you can purchase a pass for all three days or choose to go for one day like I did and purchase the one-day pass. My Saturday Pass was $40 plus taxes, so it ended up being around $50.

CELEBRITY PHOTO OPS

If you purchase a photo op, make sure you check the day the celebrity is doing the photoshoot. Some celebrities only make appearances on specific days, so if you are attending the event for just one of the three available days, make sure to confirm that your desired celebrity will be offering photo ops on the particular day you plan to attend.

I decided to purchase a photo op with Corey Feldman since I was a huge fan of his in the 80s. Luckily, he was doing the photo op on Saturday, the day I was attending the event, so it worked out for me. You’re allowed to have up to 4 people in the photo, so I had my friend join me in capturing this moment. Corey Feldman was surprisingly nice and I’m glad I chose to pay extra for this experience.

BE PREPARED FOR LONG LINES

Every year, the Tampa Bay Comic Convention has more attendees, so be prepared for long lines. In 2023, there were an estimated 12,000 attendees and Saturday is always their busiest day. Some other sources say that the event draws more than 50,000 people downtown.

Since the event is held in the middle of the summer, you will also be waiting in Florida’s brutal heat. Keep yourself hydrated and shielded from the sun by carrying a refillable water bottle and sunscreen.

Additionally, consider bringing along a portable mini fan to help alleviate the heat. Personally, I find that having a mini fan handy in these circumstances offers some relief by providing a refreshing breeze.

TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Parking can be a bit hectic or expensive during special events, so to avoid the hassle and/or to save some money, I suggest taking an Uber or parking a bit further from the event and taking the free streetcar.

I took an Uber from the Lowry Park area and the cost was reasonable at around $15 each way. It was no problem picking up an Uber once we were done with the event as well.

FOOD OPTIONS

There are plenty of food options around the convention center. You’re able to leave the event and come back as long as you keep your wristband on. Outside, there are various food trucks to choose from and also a couple of outdoor eating joints like The Sail Plaza and Big Ray’s Fish Camp on the Riverwalk.

Inside, there is a little cafe and even a buffet. I’m not sure if they do the buffet every year, but this seemed like the best option for us because the line wasn’t that bad and we were able to eat indoors where there was air conditioning.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AND PANELS

Keep an eye out for special events and panels like celebrity panels, trivia, cosplay contest, anime showings, and more. Panels are a very popular event, so make sure you arrive early to secure a seat.

This year, there was a maid cafe event and we considered attending one of the shows, but the time slot did not work out for us. I’ve been to a maid cafe in Japan a couple of times, so I was curious to see how they would approach it in the US.

FUN WITH COSPLAYERS

Cosplayers are the best part of these comic conventions because everyone does such an amazing job creating their costumes. They truly make the event come alive with their incredible attention to detail and devotion to crafting elaborate costumes.

As I mentioned, I’m a fan of anime, so I found myself completely starstruck by the cosplayers who flawlessly embodied characters from my favorite shows like Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen.

Don’t be afraid to ask to take photos with your favorite cosplayers because most of them are more than happy to take a photo with you and they appreciate the attention. Just be courteous and respect their privacy when they are engrossed in activities such as eating or engaging in conversations with friends.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I had such a great time at Tampa Bay Comic Con and can’t wait to attend another event like this. I would love to attend the San Diego Comic Con someday, but it’s pretty hard to get into as the tickets sell out in minutes. But, they do have fun activities outside the convention since it’s such a huge event. Candy attended the Outside Comic Con years ago and had a blast.

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