Tampa Bay has conventions for just about every niche. Whether you’re into trading cards or coffee, there’s a con for that. Here’s what to look forward to through Spring.
YA By the Bay
YA may be all the rage now, but there aren’t many literary events specifically for the target demographic. Non-profit YA By the Bay seeks to mend that with its two-day festival in partnership with Oxford Exchange, the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative and the Hillsborough Public School system.. Book-loving teens (or fans of any age) can see bestselling authors including R.L. Stine, Tiffany D. Jackson and Amélie Wen Zhao.
Sept. 25-26. Tampa Convention Center; 333 S Franklin St, Tampa. No Cover.
Tampa Bay Sports Card Show
With over 100 vendors every month, this is the area’s premier card trading show. Whether you’re looking to grade your childhood baseball cards or you’ve gotta catch all the 2DPokémon, you won’t be short on opportunities.
Sept 26-27. Hilton St. Petersburg Carillion Park; 950 Lake Carillion Drive, St Petersburg. $2, no cover for kids.
Necronomicon
Celebrating 44 years, Necronomicon is Florida’s oldest sci-fi, fantasy and horror convention. This year’s activities include gaming rooms, LARP, an art gallery and 18+ afterparties. Seanan McGuire (aka Mira Grant and A. Deborah Baker) and Timothy Zahn will be guests of honor.
Sept 26-28. Embassy Suites Tampa USF; 3705 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa. $25&up.
Anime St. Pete
Now in its fourth year, Anime St. Pete is the Burg’s one and only anime convention. Throughout its two days, expect plenty of cosplayers, artists and collectible exhibitors. Special guests include anime dub voice actors Bill Rodgers, Michell Knotz, Brent Mukai, Tyson Rinhart, Celeste Perez and Benjamin Stegmair.
Sept 27-28. The Colliseum; 535 4th Ave N, St. Petersburg. $20&up.
Scardise
Formerly known as Spookala, Tampa’s horror con returns with nostalgic thrills and scares. Featured guests include iconic favorites such as Linda Blair, Christina Ricci, Deborah Ann Woll and John Cusack.
October 3-5. Florida State Fairgrounds; 4800 US-301, Tampa. $40.39&up, No Cover for children 10 & under with paid adult.
Tampa Coffee & Art Festival
This caffeine lover’s paradise combines craft coffee brewing and art to showcase the best baristas and roasters the state has to offer.
October 25. Florida State Fairgrounds; 4800 US-301, Tampa. $17.85&up.
St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest
Hosted by the non-profit Cultured Books Literacy Foundation, St. Pete Reads! aims to foster a love for reading in children by highlighting local authors, providing community-building activities and resources for families.
November 1. The Woodson African-American Museum of Florida; 2240 9th Ave S, St. Petersburg. No Cover.
Tampa Tattoo Arts Festival
Whether you want some fresh ink or just want to see it, Villain Arts’ local fest has you covered (literally) From exhibitors to models and contests, everyone will be out putting their body ink creations on full display—as has been the more than decade-long tradition.
November 7-9. Tampa Convention Center; 333 S Franklin St, Tampa. $20&up.
BrickUniverse Sarasota
LEGO fans can connect in Sarasota this fall. LEGO artists will unleash their creativity and attendees can build their own LEGO masterpieces.
November 22-23. Robarts Arena; 3000 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota. $15.31&up.
Sarasota Anime-Fest
Located in the heart of downtown Sarasota, this fest will feature cosplay contests, trivia, lip sync battles and guests yet to be announced.
December 6. Sarasota Municipal Auditorium; 801 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. $10&up.
Holiday Cosplay Tampa Bay
Ho, ho, ho! This is the winter-themed companion show to Anime St. Pete, dedicated mainly to the jolliest cosplayers. More programming announcements coming soon.
December 13-14. The Colliseum; 535 4th Ave N, St. Petersburg. Cover TBA.
Central Florida Comic Con
Back for its 7th year, Central Florida Comic Con is Lakeland’s “celebration of comics, toys, TV, film, art, cosplay, gamesand all things nerdy!” Stay tuned for more announcements.
January 17-18, 2026. RF Funding Center; 701 W Lime St, Lakeland. Cover TBA.
Comic Con: The Cruise
Want to enjoy the fun of San Diego Comic Con without planning a trip to the West Coast? Comic Con: The Cruise has you covered. Setting sail in Tampa and passing through Nassau, The Bahamas, the four-night experience, hosted by Felicia Day, will feature other celebrity appearances, comic book artists and geekiness galore, alongside all the amenities one expects from a cruise.
January 30-February 3, 2026. Departs from Port of Tampa. $1300&up.
St. Pete Zine Fest
St. Pete Zine Fest returns for a third year of DIY creativity and symposiums. More announcements coming this fall.
February 15, 2026. SPC-Gibbs Campus; 6605 5th Ave N, St. Petersburg. No Cover.
St. Pete Comic Con
Celebrating its fifth anniversary, St. Pete Comic Con is back with a robust guest lineup, including Monster High creator Garrett Sander, voice actors Kari Wahlgren, Brian Beacock, Tyson Rinehart, Alan Lee and Sean Chiplock.
February 28-March 1, 2026. The Colliseum; 535 4th Ave N, St. Petersburg. $15&up.
Clearwater Comic Con
Hosted by the Clearwater Public Library, this one-day convention attracts over 1,500 fans of all ages to enjoy the local talent and put their geekdom on display. More announcements coming soon.
March 7, 2026. Countryside Recreation Center; 640 Sabal Springs Dr, Clearwater. No Cover.
ACEcon
The annual Anime & Comics Enthusiasts Convention is back for its 10th show. Containing activities to interactively engage with its youth-focused audience, such as scavenger hunts, fanfiction, fanart and cosplay contests, this is a perfect way for your teen to spend the weekend.
March 7-8, 2026. Palm Harbor Library; 2330 Nebraska Ave, Palm Harbor. No Cover.
Florida Antiquarian Book Fair
Several independent booksellers from around the country will show off their inventory of old books, maps, prints, photographs and other ephemera.
March 7-8, 2026. The Colliseum; 535 4th Ave N, St. Petersburg. $6&up.
Tampa International Book Fair
Ybor City’s literary festival brings together the Anglophone and Hispanicophone literature community for four days of presentations with a diverse myriad of writers and publishers.
March 2026, exact date TBA. Various locations throughout Ybor City. No Cover.
Clearwater Book Fair
After the Clearwater Writers Block’s first successful book fair earlier this year at Aspirations Winery, organizers return with a second installment. Over 30 local authors will be represented across genres such as non-fiction, poetry, historical fiction, romance and children’s literature.
March 21, 2026. Clearwater Historical Society; 610 S Fort Harrison, Clearwater. No Cover.
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This article appears in Sept. 25 – Oct. 1, 2025.