Otakon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Otakon |
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Cosplayers at Otakon 2016
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| Status | Active |
| Genre | Anime, East Asian popular culture |
| Venue | Walter E. Washington Convention Center |
| Location(s) | Washington, D.C. |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | July 29, 1994 |
| Most recent | July 26, 2019 |
| Next event | August 6, 2021 |
| Attendance | 29,292 in 2018 |
| Organized by | Otakorp, Inc. |
| Filing status | 501(c)(3) |
| Website | Otakon.com |
Otakon (pronounced OH-tə-kon) is a big, three-day event held every year in July or August. It's a special kind of gathering called an anime convention. From 1999 to 2016, Otakon took place in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2017, it moved to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
This convention is all about East Asian popular culture. This includes things like anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comics), music, and movies. It's a place for fans of these things to come together! The name "Otakon" is a mix of the words convention and otaku, which is a Japanese word for a passionate fan.
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Who Runs Otakon?
Otakon is organized by a group called Otakorp, Inc. This is a special kind of organization called a non-profit. It means they don't try to make money for themselves. Their main goal is to help people learn about and enjoy Asian culture, especially through its media and entertainment.
What Happens at Otakon?
Otakon offers many fun activities for its visitors. You can watch anime and live-action East Asian films on big screens. There are also videos made by fans, like funny parodies and anime music videos (AMVs).
Cool Panels and Workshops
Many talks and workshops are held on different topics. You can learn about voice acting, how to draw manga, and other parts of Japanese culture. Experts from the anime industry often come to share news about new shows or movies. They also give tips and answer questions from the audience. Many of these talks are even led by fans who want to share their knowledge!
Cosplay and Masquerade
A big part of Otakon is cosplay. This is when people dress up as characters from anime, manga, or video games. There's also a special show called the Masquerade. In this show, cosplayers perform short skits as their characters. Before Otakon moved to Washington D.C., this show was held in a large arena.
Otakon's Journey Through Time
Otakon has a long history! Sadly, Otakon 2020 had to be canceled. This was because its usual location, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, was used as a hospital during the pandemic.
Past Events and Locations
Otakon started small in 1994 at a hotel in State College, Pennsylvania. Only 350 people attended that first event.
| Dates | Location | Attendance (unique memberships) | Notes |
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| July 29–31, 1994 | Days Inn Penn State, State College, Pennsylvania | 350 | The very first Otakon! |
| September 1–4, 1995 | Penn State Scanticon, State College, Pennsylvania | 450 | Otakon's only four-day event. |
| August 9–11, 1996 | Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn, Hunt Valley, Maryland | 1,000 | |
| August 8–10, 1997 | Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn, Hunt Valley, Maryland | 1,750 | |
| August 7–9, 1998 | Hyatt Regency-Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia | 2,500 | |
| July 2–4, 1999 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 4,500 | Otakon moves to Baltimore. |
| August 4–6, 2000 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 7,500 | |
| August 10–12, 2001 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 10,275 | |
| July 26–28, 2002 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 12,880 | |
| August 8–10, 2003 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 17,338 | Otakon's 10th anniversary! |
| July 30 – August 1, 2004 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 20,899 | |
| August 19–21, 2005 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 22,000 | Attendance was limited to 22,000 people. |
| August 4–6, 2006 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 22,302 | |
| July 20–22, 2007 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 22,852 | |
| August 8–10, 2008 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 26,262 | |
| July 17–19, 2009 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 26,586 | |
| July 30-August 1, 2010 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 29,274 | |
| July 29–31, 2011 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 29,337 | |
| July 27–29, 2012 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 30,785 | |
| August 9–11, 2013 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 34,211 | Otakon's 20th anniversary! |
| August 8–10, 2014 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 33,929 | The first time attendance went down slightly. |
| July 24–26, 2015 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 26,877 | |
| August 12–14, 2016 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | 29,113 | The last year Otakon was held in Baltimore. |
| August 11–13, 2017 | Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C. | 24,894 | Otakon moves to Washington, D.C. |
| August 10–12, 2018 | Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington D.C. | 28,116 | Attendance grew again. |
| July 26–28, 2019 | Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington D.C. | 28,472 | |
| August 6–8, 2021 | Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington D.C. |
Otakon in Baltimore
From 1999 to 2016, Otakon was held at the Baltimore Convention Center. The city of Baltimore really appreciated Otakon! In 2011, the city's tourism group gave Otakon an award. They said Otakon brought over 27,000 people to the city every year. This was a big event that helped local businesses, especially food places. Otakon 2010, for example, brought in about $15.3 million for the city.
Otakon in Washington, D.C.
Starting in 2017, Otakon moved to its new home. It is now held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Otakon Vegas: A Spin-Off Event
From 2014 to 2018, Otakorp also ran a smaller event called Otakon Vegas. This convention took place in January in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, after the 2018 event, Otakorp announced that Otakon Vegas would take a break. They called it an "experiment" and said they needed time to plan how to bring it back in the future.
