Fan Expo Dallas 2026: A Complete Guide to LotR Reunion

Fan Expo Dallas 2026 takes over the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center from Sept. 11 to 13. As the largest sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming event in Texas, first-time attendees should expect big crowds, long panel lines, and a convention center packed with fandom energy. Fan Expo Dallas 2026 covers a lot of ground this year, and this guide breaks down the venue layout, the Lord of the Rings 25th Anniversary celebration, the confirmed guest lineup, and how to spend your time on the show floor. Buy Fan Expo Dallas tickets at Event Tickets Center to lock in your pass before showtime.

Welcome to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is a venue built for exactly this kind of event. The Exhibit Halls, A, B, and C, house the main Show Floor, Artist Alley, and vendor marketplace, while the ballrooms, A1 through A4 and C1 through C4, are reserved for major panels and Q&As. First-timers often underestimate how much walking is involved, so comfortable shoes, water, and a floor map picked up at the entrance go a long way.

What's Special About Fan Expo Dallas 2026?

This year's show is anchored by a Lord of the Rings 25th Anniversary celebration, bringing a strong fantasy presence to the convention center, along with exclusive anniversary merchandise for the occasion. Saturday night also features a different event, An Evening with the Hobbits, a storytelling and variety show centered on the original trilogy's Hobbit actors reuniting outside the standard panel format.

Star-Studded Panels and Huge Reunions

The 2026 guest list is one of the biggest the show has assembled, headlined by three major reunions: the Lord of the Rings Hobbits, the cast of The Boys, and the Lethal Weapon duo of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. Nicolas Cage rounds out the marquee names, and the roster keeps growing with voice actors, comic creators, and other pop-culture guests announced on a rolling basis. Fans hoping for autographs or a photo op with a specific guest should check the official schedule as it firms up closer to the event.

Cosplay, Comics, and the Marketplace

Walking the show floor is a spectacle on its own, with detailed armor builds, iconic character costumes, and pop-culture mashups filling the aisles all weekend. Cosplayers get dedicated meetups, photo zones, and the always-popular Cosplay Showcase running throughout the show. Beyond the costumes, the marketplace itself spans roughly 400,000 square feet of vendors, ranging from major publishers to vintage toy collectors and specialty sellers.

Exploring the Show Floor and Artist Alley

This year's show floor lineup includes a mix of major publishers, collectibles specialists, and pop culture retailers. Here are the confirmed exhibitors as of late August:

• Crimson Dawn
• Youtooz
• Game Over Videogames
• Collector Cave
• Knowhere Toys
• Wicked Lady

Artist Alley sits alongside the main floor and is where the event's comic roots really show, with creators available for commissions, exclusive prints, and conversations about their latest work. It's worth budgeting separate time for Artist Alley rather than treating it as a quick pass-through on the way to the vendor booths.

Plan Your Fan Expo Dallas 2026 Weekend

You now know how the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is laid out, what's new, and which exhibitors and guests to watch for. With a weekend this packed, it's worth locking in your 3-day pass from a source you can trust rather than risking a listing that falls through. Event Tickets Center backs every order with our 100% Buyer Guarantee, so you can buy with confidence. Shop your Fan Expo Dallas 2026 3-day pass at Event Tickets Center.