5 San Diego’s Comic-Con International draws fans from across the pop culture spectrum,
from graphic-novel devotees and cosplay crowds to film buffs. But that’s not the only way to get your niche subculture fix. Here are five more California festivals to check out.
Anime Expo
Japanese pop culture and anime are the focus of this expo, which draws 100,000 people to downtown Los Angeles each July. Whether you’re channeling Kakashi Hatake or old-school Sailor Moon, don’t fret about wear and tear. This is the nation’s largest anime festival, and its AX Cosplay Repair booth is famous among anime devotees. July 5-8 at the Los Angeles Convention Center; www.anime-expo. org
Silicon Valley Comic Con
Why should San Diego have all the fun? Silicon Valley holds the state’s greatest concentration of nerds, after all. It’s only natural that Steve Wozniak and friends host their own epic version each April, with guest appearances by everyone from Stan Lee to David Tennant (Dr. Who), Martha Higareda (“Altered Carbon”), and Nichelle Nichols (“Star Trek”). www.svcomiccon.com
J-Pop Summit
It may have started in San Francisco’s Japantown, but this pop-culture celebration of the newest J-Pop music, tech, games, anime, fashion and food soon outgrew the venue. Now it’s held at Fort Mason, complete with ramen and sake summits and a Japanese technology immersion playground that lets guests play with advanced VR/AR, games, apps and, last July, interactive Beach Ball Synth. www.j-pop.com
Sinister Creature Con
If you prefer tentacled, horned beasts to space aliens and Marvel heroes, Sacramento’s salute to the horror genre and its creators may be just your cup of liquefied brimstone. Headliners for this year’s convention, June 16-17, include Linda Blair (“The Exorcist”), Michael Berryman (“The Hills Have Eyes,” “X Files”) and make-up artist Michelle MoreGore. www. sinistercreatureconsacramento.com
Finding Bigfoot Festival
Long before there was a film industry to concoct scary monsters, there was Bigfoot. And it’s only fitting that Humboldt County hosts a Bigfoot fest. This is, after all, where the infamous 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film was shot, and it’s where Bigfoot was given his famous name. Each year, the town of Willow Creek holds a Bigfoot parade on Highway 299 — the Bigfoot Scenic Byway, of course — followed by a festival at Veterans Park. Cosplay is encouraged at the 2018 festivities planned for Sept. 1. willowcreekchamber.com/ event/bigfoot-days.