Youmacon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Youmacon
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 an annual four-day anime convention held during November at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and TCF Center in Detroit, Michigan. Youmacon's creation was inspired by other conventions including Anime Central and Ohayocon with the convention's name coming from the Japanese word for demon or ghost. Founded by Morgan Kollin in 2005, it is the largest anime/gaming convention in Michigan. Midwest Media Expo was the convention's sister event.

Programming

The convention typically offers anime music videos, Artist Alley, Charity Masquerade Ball, concerts, costume competitions, Dealers Room, gaming tournaments, karaoke, Live Action Mario Party and Donkey Kong, live musical performances, Maid Cafe, masquerade, Mystery Science Theater 4000, rave, table-top gaming, talent competitions, and video gaming.

The convention runs programming for 24 hours a day in the Cobo Center. The walk between the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center and Cobo Center is about 15 minutes. The conventions 2013 Cosplay Ball benefited the Detroit Institute of Arts. In 2009, 2010, and 2014 it benefited the Cornerstone Schools of Detroit. The 2017 masquerade ball benefited the Children's Hospital of Michigan. The 2019 masquerade ball benefited the Children's Hospital of Michigan.

History

The first Youmacon took four years to plan. In 2010, the Cobo Center started a $279 million renovation that finished in 2015. The 2012 convention had several complaints including the distance between venues (15 minutes) and registration line times. Youmacon is one of the larger users of the Marriott, and the only event to have all of its meeting space and 1,300 hotel rooms occupied as of 2014. The Renaissance Center prohibited attendees from carrying fake weapons and wearing masks that would hide their faces in 2014. Origa was unable to enter the United States from Canada for their 2014 Youmacon appearance due to not having P visa's. In 2016, the maid cafe expanded to two days, the Renaissance Center had construction occurring, and panel rooms in the Cobo Center were challenging to locate. Thursdays programming in 2017 didn't require registration. The convention improved elevator lines and game room wait times, but the physical schedule copy suffered from errors in 2017.

Youmacon 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its cancellation was delayed due to contractual issues regarding COVID-19 shutdowns.

Event history