Downtown Los Angeles is bracing for a full-on fandom takeover as Anime Expo opens Thursday for a nearly sold-out, four-day run that stretches from the Los Angeles Convention Center through the L.A. Live entertainment district and into surrounding venues. The convention's expanded footprint is intended to keep crowds moving between the Convention Center, Crypto.com Arena, The Novo and outdoor activations along Figueroa Street.
Anime Expo 2026 runs July 2–5 and, now in its 35th year, the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation says the show is "nearly sold-out" and will extend beyond the convention center into nearby venues and public spaces. According to Anime Expo, Figueroa Street will be turned into a festival corridor linking the Convention Center with Crypto.com Arena, The Novo, Peacock Place, and L.A. LIVE. "This year’s Anime Expo is our largest and most expansive event to date," SPJA CEO Ray Chiang said in the release.
Organizers say the weekend will feature more than 400 exhibitors, industry panels, premieres, concerts and cosplay events, programming that is set up to draw a wide mix of fans and creators. As reported by MyNewsLA, the expanded campus is designed to connect indoor halls with outdoor activations and food offerings tied to Japanese pop-culture neighborhoods nearby. For downtown businesses, the influx typically translates to busier restaurants and full hotels across Little Tokyo and the South Park area.
Concerts and late-night events
AX is rolling out several ticketed concerts and large-scale shows as part of its multi-venue setup, including J-POP SOUND CAPSULE at Crypto.com Arena on July 2. The arena's event listing names ALI, Roselia, SPYAIR and composers Yoko Kanno and Yoko Takahashi among the performers for that night. Some arena shows require separate tickets in addition to Anime Expo credentials, so fans who are eyeing the concerts should double-check ticketing rules before they commit to an evening lineup.
Premieres and panels
Anime Expo has promoted a packed slate of world and first-look premieres, studio panels, and guest appearances that will run across the campus all weekend. The full schedule released by Anime Expo highlights premieres such as Magic Knight Rayearth and Black Torch, along with a Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 panel and special presentations from major studios and publishers. The programming push also includes the AX Masquerade and SUKEBAN’s World Championship Fight shifting into arenas and theaters beyond the convention halls.
What downtown will look like
The multi-venue layout will concentrate fans across the L.A. Live complex and the Convention Center block, turning parts of Figueroa into a heavy pedestrian corridor for the weekend. L.A. LIVE's event calendar lists Anime Expo programming across its campus and shows multiple AX events on the district schedule, from the Masquerade to outdoor activations. Transit riders and drivers should expect denser foot traffic and busier Metro stops near Pico Station during show hours.
How to plan your visit
Many convention events are included with AX credentials, but headline concerts and some ticketed shows require separate passes, so it is worth checking the official ticket pages before you go. Crypto.com Arena's event page includes box-office and bag-policy notes and urges guests to arrive early for arena events.
For credentials or concert access, check the official ticketing link events.leapevents.com and use the Anime Expo mobile app to keep an eye on panel times and room caps.
Between premieres, concerts and cosplay spectacle, this year's Anime Expo is expected to push downtown into full convention-weekend mode. For residents and local businesses, the immediate effect will be a flood of fans and activity across Figueroa, L.A. Live and surrounding blocks through Sunday.
