It’s officially August, seabeings and merpeople! Finally time to let PopCult’s virtual content start rolling~
First up is the Manga Library, a truly social place at PCAC where beyond just reading comics you could find and copy tons of cosplay patterns; help each other translate imported magazines; buy, sell and trade between your manga collection and ours; and request personalized recommendations from our friendly and knowledgable Library staff. But nothing evokes the cozy self-care side of staying home like curling up with a giant pile of books!
PopCult Anime Con has offered many deals on registration to increase our comic collection through the years and in turn have obtained a massive hoard of overstock and trading duplicates! Our Librarians put in considerable effort to bring to you a virtual Manga Library Dispersal Shop. Browse popular manga on the cheap, pre-owned but in good condition! Fill in the holes in your collection, finally collect the manga to your favorite anime, or try a whole new series~ Still want those personalized recommendations? Leave a comment on our Facebook for the “Manga Dragon!”
Virtual Masquerade Sign Ups
Virtual Game Show Sign Ups
Sign Up for our Virtual Masquerade!
Who says you need to go out to get dressed to the nines?
PopCult Anime Con Proudly Presents
【☆】 Virtual Masquerade 【☆】
Live streaming at 6pm on Saturday, August 15 on Twitch and Google Hangouts, join cosplayers and cosplay enthusiasts to view and vote on this year’s Masquerade contestants! Who will take home be mailed this year’s coveted prize ribbons? It could even be you if you sign up today~
Update 8/1: Now with full and proper contest rules!
Game Show Sign Ups are also ongoing! Don’t forget our virtual events are free and open for all to attend and participate. So don’t be shy; come fight off those quarantine blues with PopCult Anime Con!
Sign Up for Virtual Game Shows!
They say home is where the heart is, and the heart of PopCult Anime has gotta be our outstanding game shows!
PCAC Game Shows Proudly Presents
【☆】 Virtual Game Shows 【☆】
Enjoy two of our most popular events from the comfort and safety of your living room. In Virtual Deal or No Deal contestants grapple with the forces of luck and greed as they make their way through hidden cases of money, prizes and special offers. Prizes include a free pass to PopCult Anime Con 2021! You’ll be on the edge of your sofa with five rounds of this game!
Prefer action over drama – then Virtual Cosplay Deathmatch is for you! The audience chooses who lives and who dies in this elimination tournament-style game. Contestants will utilize quick video sequences to charm, entertain or enthrall voters into choosing their character to move forward to another round! And the cherry on top is, this game is so awesome it can’t even be contained in one weekend!
For more info, updates and SIGN UPS check out our Game Shows page, under the Programming tab.
PopCult Virtual Con 2020
Major bummer about PopCult, huh? (As the webmaster, I’ll be real for a minute and admit to being suuuper relieved!) Our mascots Summer, Super-G and Segall will all be staying at their island homes the weekend of August 15-16 in solidarity with those most at-risk in our community.
But staying home doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it doesn’t even mean that you can’t enjoy the con! What?!!? We’re flipping that A around and becoming PopCult Virtual Con 2020, a weekend full of the programming you love from the summer party con you didn’t want to miss! Shop our vendors online, attend a panel, watch some anime, play a game show, rock out at the rave – all from the safety and comfort of your living room. And the best part is, it’s free for anyone to attend!
So please, click around the Event and Programming pages to see what’s cooking at this digital BBQ!* You can even pre-register now for PCAC 2021 if you’re feeling particularly stir-crazy. Whether you’ve been with us since year one in 2016 or it’s your first time, you’re part of the rich New England pop culture and fandom community or live somewhere else in the world, we’re thrilled that you’ve discovered our tropical daydream convention! Welcome to PopCult Anime Con! We’ll “see” you in August!
*Not actually a BBQ. Event details, schedules and specifics are subject to change before the convention. Individual event pages will be updated regularly. Events may be hosted on or require third party sites to attend, including but not limited to Facebook, Zoom, Twitch, Instagram, etc. Keep an eye on this site or our official Facebook page for the most up-to-date information.
Covid-19 & PopCult Anime: Cancellation Notice
To our dear Community of fans, attendees, talents, businesses, sponsors, family and friends:
After reviewing the phased Reopening plans for Massachusetts with the hotel Sheraton Framingham, we can finally make the decision to cancel PopCult Anime Con 2020. We know it’s disappointing to lose another con this year but it’s just not possible for us to meet the current state guidelines. Whatever keeps the Community safe at this time is what’s most important to us.
Our hotel got the jump on us while we were getting our words together, so a few of you already knew this announcement was coming. The Sheraton Framingham is automatically cancelling rooms booked under the convention, so anyone with reservations should be receiving notice of that. For room cancellation issues, please contact the hotel directly at (508) 879-7200.
Pre-registered attendees will have their registrations rolled forward to PopCult Anime Con 2021. Refunds will be available upon request however, please contact us at popcultanime.exhibitors@gmail.com before August 31, 2020 to request. Contest winner registrations will also be rolled into 2021.
For Vendors and Artists, our Exhibitor staff will be reaching out to you personally to discuss rolling your exhibit space forward or arranging a refund, as well as online advertising opportunities. Applications for 2021 will open again next year should there be any space available.
Those who signed up for our 2020 programming, such as Game Shows, Masquerade, Fan Panels, etc; will be contacted in the coming weeks by Event staff about participation in 2021 OR alternative online programming for 2020. That’s right, this summer party doesn’t sink so easily! Our staff is already planning online virtual content to help bring a bit of the con to you this August 15-16, 2020 so keep your eyes on us for new content and ways to connect with the Community in this time of separation and unrest.
Speaking of Community, a huge THANK YOU from all of us on staff for your patience and support through the uncertainty of this year. We hope that you will all be able to join us in celebrating our (belated) 5th year anniversary August 14-15th, 2021 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel!
Be safe and well everyone, enjoy your summers… and keep washing your hands!!!
Regarding COVID-19 & PopCult AnimeCon: An Update
Hey everyone~ It’s been about 2 months since our first coronavirus post and we think it’s about time for an update!
Currently, the MA state ban on businesses and large gatherings is set to end on May 18th. That date’s already been extended a few times, so we’re keeping a close eye on what Governor Baker and the leaders up on Beacon Hill are doing to keep us all safe. We’ve also been following updates from the CDC and WHO, as promised. If there is a PopCult Anime Con 2020, please be aware that it will come along with things like enforcing social distancing, mask-wearing policies, and a whole lot of hand sanitizer.
As a small community-based convention, we recognize how important it is to address our attendees’ health and safety concerns and will absolutely keep you all notified when any date and/or policy changes are officially made. In turn we want to thank you, our dear attendees and fans for understanding that as a small community-based convention simply cancelling PCAC without government intervention is a “heath and safety” concern for us as well. Financially speaking, we’d be ruined.
The uncertainty of the future is something we are traversing through together, which brings us right back to our original statement regarding COVID-19. As we prepare to entertain you this coming August, be it live in Framingham or with digital content TBA, we hope these efforts help put smiles on your faces and remind you that despite quarantining You Are Not Alone. Please if you can afford to, pre-register and sign up for some events – Panels, Masquerade & Game Shows are all open and in need of applicants! Or perhaps consider donating to help with virtual content should a government cancellation come to pass – even just a few dollars is a big help!
All that said, PopCult Anime Con is still moving forward with its plans for August 2020! Our hearts bleed for our first responders, essential workers, the families of those who have passed, the sick, the quarantined and everyone affected by the COVID-19 virus. We do not move forward blindly, and intend to run the convention as close to CDC and MA State recommendations as possible. A community in solidarity will always soldier on. Thank you for being a part of our community.
Stay tuned for more event announcements and other PopCult Anime Con 2020 news. Be excellent to each other… and don’t forget to wash your hands!
Masquerade SignUps Open!
As the prophet Justin Tiberlake predicted, it’s May! And that means it’s time for PopCult Anime’s Masquerade signups to open! Hooray!! You can find all our masq info and the link to sign up on the Masquerade Event page.
Artist Alley letters went out this week, so if you signed up for that and haven’t heard from us definitely check your email boxes and spam filters! Vendors applicants can expect a letter in the next week. Thank you all for your patience.
*•✩•* PCAC 2020 *•✩•*
Pre-Register
Hotel Block
Guest Announcements
Panel Submissions
Masquerade Sign-Ups
Game Show Sign-Ups
Masquerade SignUps Open May 1st!
Anyone who’s been spending all their quarantine time on cosplay, this one’s for you! PopCult Anime Con 2020 Masquerade Sign-Ups will be opening on May 1st! Get prepared with this year’s rules and guidelines now available on the Masquerade Event page.
For general cosplay and convention rules and guidelines, check out our Codes & Policies page under the About Us tab!
~ PCAC 2020!! ~
Pre-Register
Hotel Block
Guest Announcements
Vendors Application
Panel Submissions
Game Show Sign-Ups
Panel Submissions Open!
Feeling a bit stir crazy? Now’s the perfect time to dream up a fun new Fan Panel for PopCult Anime 2020! Panel submissions are open now through June 20! For more info, check out the Panels Programming page linked below!
☆.。.:*・°☆ Submit a Panel ☆.。.:*・°☆
~ ICYMI ~
Guest Announcements
Game Show Sign-Ups
Artist Alley Application
Vendors Application
Hotel Block
Pre-Register
Artist Alley Signups RE-OPEN!
PopCult Anime Con is aware how much our event planning colleagues and exhibitors are being hurt by the wave of cancellations sweeping our community at this time.
In a spirit of camaraderie, we are re-opening Artist Alley applications for any local artisans suffering from springtime income losses. And our exhibitor staff is hard at work brainstorming more ways they can reach out to our Artist and Vendor communities in this time of crisis.
Please help us spread the word to your favorite New England Artists and Vendors!
Sign Up Today!
ARTISTS / VENDORS
Maybe consider helping us out too?
We can cut costs for others better when we’re doing well too~