Kawaii Kon is an annual three-day convention for all age groups at the Hawaii Convention Center. It offers a variety of fun events and activities, and it’s also a safe space for people who love Anime (cartoon), Comics (manga) and Games (short as ACG) culture to meet, socialize and enjoy themselves. 

There are different types of tickets depending on the days you are going. You can choose to go only one day out of the three days, and the price for each day is different. There are also multi-day tickets for people who decide to go all three days.

This year, I attended my first Kawaii Kon last month. I didn’t have any idea what would happen or how it would go. When I got there, it was very overwhelming, but it was also what inspired me to create this guide for first-timers who might be interested in attending in the coming years.

Artist Alley:

At the Artist Alley, artists from Hawaii and the mainland showcased and sold their original fan artwork. There was a wide variety of fan creations, including handmade items and original pieces like keychains, badges, and drawings. Most of the goods featured popular fandoms such as “Genshin Impact,” “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “Love and Deepspace.” I enjoyed walking around the Artist Alley; it was fun seeing all the different artists and picking up some amazing artwork. The only downside was that the prices were a little above average, so it’s a good idea to make sure your wallet is ready before you go.

Stamp Rally: 

A stamp rally is where a group of artists collaborate to create a little fun activity. The participants need to spend a certain amount of money at each artist’s booth to receive a stamp, and collect all the stamps to get a special prize. I didn’t know there was a stamp rally after Kawaii Kon ended because they didn’t mention this on their official website or Instagram. So, for you to know what stamp rallies there are, you might need to do some research on social media or find out on your way. 

Dealer’s room:

In the Dealer’s Room, vendors sell a variety of licensed items from different ACG fandoms, such as character figurines and charms. They also occasionally offer clothes, accessories and jewelry. Since Hawaii only has a few small physical stores for ACG fans, being able to shop at the Dealer’s Room and Artist Alley helps fill that gap.

Interactive Panels:

Panels are small events that focus on specific fandoms or other topics related to ACG, Japanese and Asian culture. They might include a Kahoot game to test your knowledge of a certain fandom, a discussion on a topic or a workshop or lecture. It’s a great place to meet people with similar interests and enjoy fun activities together. I checked out a few panels, such as “Across the HoYoverse,” where they held a Kahoot quiz on how well you know the video games produced by HoYoverse, along with a giveaway event.

Panel host:

As I explained before about panels, you could also apply to host a panel at Kawaii Kon if you want to gather and spend quality time with people with the same interests. Sacred Hearts Academy sophomore Sage Nguyen, who hosted a panel on Kawaii Kon 2025, said: “One of the reasons I’m a panel host is because you have really good perks and I just feel like at Kon, there aren’t enough things to do. So having panels was an interactive game that the whole audience could play, it’s a really fun opportunity. As a panel host, you have to be very entertaining, you also have to know what to say beforehand, and you also have to be a good people person; overall, just have fun because if you don’t have fun, the audience isn’t going to have fun.” For more information about being a panel’s host, visit Kawaii Kon Fan Panels & Events.

Main events(open/close ceremony, concert):

According to Nguyen, Kawaii Kon’s opening and closing ceremonies were big and worth attending. Unfortunately, neither of us went to the opening ceremony this year, so I don’t have much to share about it. The closing ceremony includes a quick summary of the event, information about next year’s convention and a Q&A session.

In addition to these two major events, Kawaii Kon also invites musicians, bands and groups to perform throughout all three days. For example, this year, Kawaii Kon invited Ayunda Risu and Kobo Kanaeru from Hololive, Japanese band Ash Da Hero and many others.

Cosplay contest:

Every year, there will be a cosplay contest held in the Main Event room. This is a competition for the best costume of every year’s Kawaii Kon. If you are planning to cosplay and think your costume is awesome, you should definitely enter. Or if you wanna see some amazing cosplayer and their stunning costumes, you should go check it out, too!

Game room:

If you like video games or tabletop games, then you should check out the two rooms dedicated to gamers. They feature classic video games like “Valorant” and “Taiko no Tatsujin,” along with a variety of retro games and areas where you can experience 3D gaming. In the tabletop games room, there are plenty of tables where you can borrow games from the games library and play.

Video room:

There are two smaller video rooms and one main video room that play anime episodes or movies throughout all three days of the event. It’s a fun and unique experience to watch anime on a big screen with others who also love these fandoms. If you’re looking to chill or take a break, then I think the video room is a great option.

Cosplay cafe:

The Cosplay Cafe, as the name suggests, features waiters dressed up as characters from various ACG fandoms. You can enjoy desserts and drinks while playing mini games with the waiters—if you win, you’ll receive a gift (though I’m not sure what it is since I didn’t win). I also got to watch a dance performance by the waiters. It was a really fun experience, and I’ll definitely go again next year. The line can get long, so it’s best to make a reservation online in advance.

Lounge and manga library:

The lounge is a place where you can chat and hang out with friends. They offer alcohol for those who are over 21. Throughout the weekend, they will have some karaoke or music events going on there too. They also have a small library where you can sit down and read some manga. These two places will be really good spots for you to chill and relax; however, there are a lot of benches and sofas around the whole convention for you to relax on too.

Volunteer:

Kawaii Kon is organized by a non-profit entity and is mostly run by volunteers. Every year, they need a lot of volunteers; however, most of the departments require adult volunteers. Visit Kawaii Kon Departments & Descriptions for more information about the volunteering positions. 

Academy senior Lindsey Dimaya, who has been volunteering for Kawaii Kon for two years, made a podcast to share her and her friends’ opinions on volunteering for Kawaii Kon. In her podcast, she said: “The reason I decided to make this episode about volunteering a Kawaii Kon is because it’s an amazing opportunity to get involved in the community and connect with people who have the same interests as you. ” Dimaya’s friend, Paige Lum, who is a recent graduate from the Academy, said in the interview:  “It was a nice time, and I got to enjoy the kon and not get bored or tired after like the first house, and I guess like the people there also want you to have fu,n too, so everyone was very nice.” 

Parking: If you are driving to the Kawaii Kon, you can park at the Hawaii Convention Center for $15. The parking lot fills up quickly, so you should go early to get a space. 

Tips and 2026 tickets:

Before Kawaii Kon starts, they have already posted their events/panels schedule. I suggest you look over these events/panels and plan out which event you are interested in going to before you go. 

For buying tickets, multi-day tickets are worth it in my opinion. Even if you can only go one day, it’s worth it to spend your whole day at Kawaii Kon. If you want to apply to be a panel host, press/media, or volunteer, then the application deadline is usually a month before the event starts. Make sure you pay attention to their official page for more information. 

Most of the people at Kawaii Kon are really nice, so if you want to have a picture with the cosplayer, you just need to ask politely. A final tip from Nguyen: “If you are a minor or a younger one, be careful about people around you because there are a lot of adults, and you may think that they are your age.  Do not go to Kawaii Kon by yourself, always (follow) a buddy system or (have) a friend that you can go back to.”

Next year’s Kawaii Kon will be on April 24 to 26, 2026. You can already purchase the multi-day ticket at Eventeny.

Overall, Kawaii Kon is a really fun and entertaining event. I hope this guide will help you have a great and safe first-time experience at Kawaii Kon. I’m excited to see you at 2026 Kawaii Kon!