Nerds of every stripe are converging on Omaha this weekend as AfroCon returns to the Metro Community College campus, bringing together fans of gaming, science fiction, anime and other corners of pop culture under a banner built around Black creativity and representation. The convention runs Friday through Saturday, with organizers framing it as both a party and a platform for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
The event lands at the MCC Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology, Building 24, at 32nd and Sorensen Parkway, according to afroconomaha.com. This year's theme, “Cool Girls Love Anime,” places women and girls who love anime at the center of the story while welcoming every fandom, the site states. AfroCon describes itself as an inclusive celebration of nerd culture that embraces boundless creativity, with panels, exclusive vendor merchandise and chances to connect with fellow enthusiasts all on the schedule.
Jade Rogers and Terra Taylor sat down with KETV NewsWatch 7's Waverle Monroe to discuss what attendees can expect this year. Per that report, organizers are inviting the whole Omaha-area community to attend, positioning AfroCon as a space where fans and creators can connect and share their interests rather than a niche gathering for a select few.
A Nonprofit-Run Celebration Years in the Making
AfroCon is organized by the Omaha nonprofit House of Afros, Capes and Curls, whose founder is Jade R. Rogers, as reported by The Reader. Last year's event marked the convention's seventh consecutive year in Omaha, and the gathering has consistently been held at Metro Community College's Center for Advanced and Emerging Technologies building. The Reader's coverage of that seventh edition noted programming that included panels, cosplay and a cosplay contest, artists selling their wares, and even an esports tournament.
The sixth annual AfroCon, held in 2024, was also hosted by the House of Afros, Capes & Curls at Metropolitan Community College, according to WOWT. That coverage described a convention centered on the love of fantasy, gaming and Afrofuturism, themes that continue to run through the event's programming each year.
Part of a Growing National Movement
Omaha's gathering is part of a broader wave of conventions built specifically around Black fandom. Dream Con, one of the largest Black-owned gaming, anime and pop culture conventions in the country, drew a record 45,000 attendees this year in Houston, according to The Texas Tribune. That event debuted in Waco back in 2018 with about 800 attendees and brought more than $19 million to Houston last year, up from $15 million when it was held in Austin the year before, per the same outlet.
BlerdCon, founded in 2017 in Arlington, now draws more than 15,000 attendees for a three-day celebration featuring cosplay competitions, gaming tournaments, food trucks, vendors, panel discussions and parties, Capital B News reports. The outlet also cites a 2024 Polygon study finding that Black Americans age 18 and older make up about 17% of anime fans, a data point that helps explain why conventions centering Black creators and fans have taken off in cities well beyond Omaha. You can read more from Capital B News on that trend.
What to Know Before Heading to MCC
Organizers have posted a few ground rules for attendees on the event website. No one is allowed to touch a cosplayer's body, costume or prop without permission, a standard etiquette rule for cosplay-heavy gatherings. Prop weapons are permitted only as prop weapons and must be checked at registration, with convention staff reserving the right to confiscate anything deemed unsafe or improperly used.
Full details on the weekend's schedule, vendors and programming are available at afroconomaha.com. Whether you are a longtime con-goer or just curious about the anime-loving theme driving this year's event, organizers are framing AfroCon as an open door for the whole Omaha metro to walk through.
