GalaxyCon Columbus is a convention held for one weekend every December. Artists, gamers and cosplayers from all different fandoms come to meet their favorite celebrities and cosplayers, shop unique fan art and attend wrestling matches and cosplay contests. This was my second year attending, and I had an amazing time. Here’s a look at my highlights from GalaxyCon Columbus 2024!
- shopping
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At the convention, the “Artist Alley” exhibition hall was packed to the brim with talented artists. Products included art prints in many styles and sizes, featuring art from nearly every fandom you can think of. My siblings and I saw fun tote bags and pillows covered with celebrity faces and goofy slogans, a variety of pins, keychains and stickers as well as lots of Funko Pops and figurines.
In addition to signed celebrity photos, some of these other items even came autographed. Artists sold helmets from “Star Wars,” “Fallout” and “Call of Duty,” as well as weapons yielded by Jedi, Straw Hat Pirates and the Avengers.
There were clothes and jewelry as well, and my brother even bought a Behelit necklace from the manga, “Berserk.” I bought a “Demon Slayer” sweatshirt from an exhibitor who created their own anime merch, and a locket shaped like the book “The Outsiders.”
I love the exhibition hall because you can support amazing artists and buy unique items you can’t find anywhere else. My siblings and I walked around it for hours and I still don’t think we saw everything. If you’re a big spender, you can buy huge prints or intricate prop recreations, but if you want to shop without breaking the bank, there are a ton of affordable trinkets, pins, stickers and art prints; there’s something for everyone! GalaxyCon shopping was also perfect for getting last-minute holiday gifts for friends.
- gaming, Tattoos and wrestling
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While my siblings and I didn’t spend too much time in these areas, there was a room off to the side with computers and arcade games for the gamers in attendance. The tattoo artists had a huge setup of tattoo chairs and flip-books of designs.
GalaxyCon also invited many celebrity wrestler guests, with a wrestling ring set up and events held throughout the weekend. Last year, I went to a cosplay wrestling event where I saw the Toys “R” Us Geoffrey the Giraffe fight Star-Lord!
- photo-ops
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GalaxyCon has a lot of fun photo opportunities. When I went last year, people could pay to sit on a huge model of Appa from “Avatar the Last Airbender.” This year, I sat on a speeder bike and took photos with Bo-Katan Kryze and the Straw Hat Pirates Luffy and Zoro. Cars and characters from “Ghostbusters,” “Back to the Future,” “My Hero Academia” and “Demon Slayer” were painted on the side.
- celebrity guests
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The convention hosts a ton of celebrity guests. If you buy GalaxyCon tickets, you can meet guests without additional charge. You can pay extra for photos and autographs, but make sure to bring cash! While the exhibitors mostly took cards, most celebrities only took cash, and we couldn’t find an ATM at the convention center. My sister and I were especially excited that cast members from “Our Flag Means Death” were there. We met Con O’Neil who plays Izzy Hands and took a selfie with him.
This year, the guest list was particularly impressive! “Weird Al” Yankovic and Hayden Christensen, AKA Anakin Skywalker from “Star Wars,” were in attendance. Cast members from “Ted Lasso,” “Cobra Kai,” “Stranger Things” and “Psych” also made an appearance, among other show and movie stars. There were also anime, cartoon and video game voice actors in attendance. I think one of the biggest draws this year was the cast of “Hazbin Hotel!”
GalaxyCon also holds panels throughout the weekend, which typically don’t cost extra. Celebrity guests sit on stage, often with their cast members and/or a moderator, and talk about their experiences. Microphones are set up and audience members can line up to ask questions. Each panel is about an hour long.
My siblings and I went to John DiMaggio‘s panel, who we love for his role as Jake the Dog from “Adventure Time.” He talked about his inspirations and experiences in voice acting. We also went to the “Our Flag Means Death” panel, where cast members from the show held a Q&A.
- cosplayers
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My favorite part of GalaxyCon was the cosplayers. While I didn’t dress up myself, my sister did a Saiki K cosplay and had people ask for photos. We also took a photo with a cosplayer dressed as Te Fiti from “Moana.”
At the end of the night, there was a huge cosplay competition. All of the best cosplayers at the convention took turns walking across the stage in character. Some wielded huge staffs and swords or rotating prop weapons. Others were on stilts or had costume features that moved on their own, like expanding wings. A couple of participants completely crocheted their cosplays. There were even two different proposals during the contest! It was so exciting to see our favorite characters come to life on stage with these incredibly detailed cosplays.
I had an unforgettable time at GalaxyCon Columbus 2024, and it truly exceeded my expectations. From the vibrant atmosphere to the incredible people I met, every moment was a highlight. If you’re looking for a fun, immersive experience, I highly recommend attending. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event!