Youmacon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Youmacon |
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| Status | Active |
| Genre | Anime, Manga, Video Games, and Internet culture |
| Venue | Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center TCF Center |
| Location(s) | Detroit, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2005 |
| Attendance | 22,142 in 2017 |
| Organized by | Defying Conventions / Youmacon Enterprises |
| Website | http://www.youmacon.com/ |
Youmacon is a super fun, four-day event that happens every November in Detroit, Michigan. It's a huge gathering for fans of anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comics), video games, and internet culture. Youmacon takes place at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and the TCF Center.
The idea for Youmacon came from other popular conventions like Anime Central and Ohayocon. The name "Youmacon" comes from a Japanese word that means "demon" or "ghost." Morgan Kollin started this convention in 2005, and it has grown to be the biggest anime and gaming event in all of Michigan!
Contents
What Happens at Youmacon?
Youmacon is packed with exciting activities for everyone! The convention offers a wide variety of things to do, making sure there's always something cool happening.
Fun Activities to Enjoy
- Watching awesome anime music videos.
- Exploring the Artist Alley, where talented artists sell their unique creations.
- Attending concerts and live musical performances.
- Joining costume competitions, also known as cosplay contests.
- Shopping for cool merchandise in the Dealers Room.
- Competing in gaming tournaments for video games and table-top games.
- Singing your heart out at karaoke sessions.
- Playing real-life versions of games like Mario Party and Donkey Kong.
- Visiting the special Maid Cafe.
- Enjoying the masquerade, a big costume show.
- Watching funny shows like Mystery Science Theater 4000.
- Dancing at a lively rave.
- Showing off your skills in talent competitions.
Convention Schedule and Locations
The fun at Youmacon never stops! Programming runs 24 hours a day at the TCF Center (formerly Cobo Center). The walk between the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and the TCF Center is about 15 minutes.
Helping the Community
Youmacon also uses its events to help others. The convention's Cosplay Ball and masquerade ball have raised money for important causes.
- In 2013, the Cosplay Ball helped the Detroit Institute of Arts.
- In 2009, 2010, and 2014, the event supported the Cornerstone Schools of Detroit.
- In 2017 and 2019, the masquerade ball benefited the Children's Hospital of Michigan.
Youmacon's Journey Through the Years
It took four years of planning before the very first Youmacon happened in 2005. The convention has grown and changed a lot since then!
Changes and Challenges Over Time
- From 2010 to 2015, the Cobo Center (now TCF Center) went through a big renovation.
- In 2012, some attendees had concerns about the distance between the two main venues and how long the registration lines were.
- Youmacon is a very important event for the Marriott hotel, often using all its meeting spaces and many hotel rooms.
- In 2014, the Renaissance Center made rules that attendees couldn't carry fake weapons or wear masks that covered their whole faces.
- Also in 2014, a musical guest named Origa couldn't come from Canada to perform because of issues with their special work visas.
- In 2016, the popular maid cafe expanded to two days. There was also some construction at the Renaissance Center, and finding panel rooms in the Cobo Center was a bit tricky.
- In 2017, you didn't need to register for Thursday's events. The convention also made improvements to elevator lines and game room wait times, which was great! However, the printed schedule had some mistakes.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Sadly, Youmacon 2020 had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cancellation was delayed a bit due to agreements about how to handle shutdowns caused by the pandemic.
Images for kids
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The official logo for Youmacon.
