I want to attend PopCult Anime Con! Where do I start?
- Welcome to the PCAC Community!
- To attend PopCult Anime Con, you need to register for the convention. Think of this like purchasing tickets for a concert or baseball game! You can do that here.
- Consider following us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X or Discord. As we announce sign ups, events, guests and schedules you’ll be one of the first to know what to expect at the con.
- If you need to make hotel reservations for PCAC weekend, don’t forget to do that before the Hotel Block cutoff date. The cutoff date for this year is 7/22/2024.
- And finally, when you arrive at the con be sure to pick up your official convention badge at Registration in the Eden Vale Ballroom Lobby! You’ll need to be wearing this to get into panel, workshop and event rooms throughout the weekend.
How old do you need to be to attend PopCult Anime Con?
- PopCult Anime Con is an all-ages event with free attendance for children under 7! There is plenty to do at PopCult Anime Con for youth and adults alike, even those who aren’t so interested in anime. As a multi-genre community-based event, we host classes, workshops, concerts, games and multi-cultural events with teachers, artists and performers from the New England area.
- We do expect that attendees under the age of 14 will be chaperoned by a guardian of at least 18 years while at the convention, and child badges cannot be purchased without the presence of an accompanying adult. Linked children and guardians must be together in order to pick up their badges at the con.
- Children 6 and under do not need to be formally registered as they are welcome at PCAC for free!
I just pre-registered. Where is my QR ticket?
- Thank you so much for supporting PopCult Anime Con! QR ticket processing can have delays of up to 24 hours. Thank you for your patience!
- If a week goes by and you’re still missing your QR there might have been a glitch in the system. Please contact us if you have any concerns regarding your purchase.
- Misplaced your ticket email? Don’t worry, we collected your name and other info when you registered just in case. Bring a photo ID when you check into the con and our friendly Registration staff will be able to assist you.
Can I get a discount on my registration?
- Sometimes, yes! PCAC occasionally runs promotions on badges for the upcoming con.
- Coupon-like discounts are also afforded to certain attendees like panelists and exhibitors who put a great deal of hours and effort into making PCAC fun for everyone.
- Less frequently we may offer badge giveaways, sometimes as prizes or in exchange for hotel reservations. Terms apply on these limited offers and may be revoked at the sole discretion of PopCult Anime Con.
- Keep a close eye on our website/socials for promotional announcements!
Can I get a refund on my pre-registration?
- Yes, but only up to 45 days prior to the convention. That makes this year’s cutoff date Tuesday, July 8, 2025. Pre-registrations purchased after 7/8 and at-door tickets are non-refundable.
- Refunds will not include payment processing fees.
- All badges for PopCult Anime Con are non-transferable and non-replaceable if lost at the convention.
I forgot to pre-register! Can I still buy a ticket at the door?
- Most likely! PopCult Anime Con does have an attendance cap of 1500, but we haven’t filled the event to capacity yet. However we are growing each year and when we do reach capacity, it’s our intention to remain small to protect our local community vibe. When that happens, tickets may become more of a commodity and less likely to be available at the door.
- That said, it’s 2025 and still likely that you will be able to arrive at the convention on Saturday morning and purchase a badge for the weekend or just a day! The farther into the weekend we get however, the closer to our attendance cap we get so it’s always best to come early if you’re purchasing tickets at the door.
- At door prices are posted on our Registration page. Cash and card are acceptable forms of payment.
- At door registrations can be purchased in the same room as pre-registration pickup, in the Eden Vale Lobby by Main Events.
- At door ticket sales begin Saturday Morning of the convention. At door purchases cannot be made on Friday Night as Day Zero programming is for pre-registered attendees only.
Is the con accessible? Do you have a wheelchair I can borrow?
- Yes, PopCult Anime Con is wheelchair accessible and service animal friendly. We strongly support our disabled community and want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable at our con.
- If you feel you may require some additional assistance during the convention, feel free to stop by our Info Desk and ask about our gold star stickers! Show the star to any staff member to make an accessibility request. We’ll do what we can to accommodate you, no questions asked.
- We do not have any wheelchairs or other mobility aids available for rent. However, the Westin Waltham know of a place nearby that supplies them. The front desk number is (781) 290-5600.
- If you are in need of medical attention during PopCult Anime Con, please visit the Operation Hammond table located in the Eden Vale Lobby or alert any of our nearby staff.
What kind of parking is available at the Westin Waltham? Is it free?
- The Westin Waltham-Boston’s main parking facility is a covered garage on the right side of the building, just past the main lobby entrance. The garage can be used by both hotel guests and day visitors to the con.
- Typically the garage is $15/day to use, however the Westin graciously waives this fee for the weekend of PopCult Anime Con if enough of our room block is booked by the cutoff date.*
- For hotel guests, your room key becomes your garage pass upon check in. This should* only be important for Day Zero attendees who arrive before the gates are lifted for the weekend. Day visitors may need to get their parking passes validated at the front desk before leaving the hotel.
- For more information about the Westin Waltham-Boston and their amenities, please call the front desk at (781) 290-5600.
What is your dress code/weapons policy?
- Please refer to our Convention Policy page for dress code and cosplay weapon info.
What is your conduct code/harassment policy?
- Please refer to our Convention Policy page for our Code of Conduct and Harassment Policy.
What is your Covid-19 policy?
- Please refer to our Convention Policy page for our Covid Safety Policy.
What is Day Zero?
- Friday Night Day Zero programming at PCAC is bonus content for attendees who pre-registered for the full convention weekend. It’s our way of saying thank you to the people who support us at the most critical time – before the event has begun!
- As Day Zero is an exclusive perk for Full Weekend pre-registered attendees only, Day Pass and At Door badges cannot be picked up or purchased on Friday Night. At Door ticket sales and Day Pass pre-reg pickup begin when Registration opens on Saturday Morning.
- Day Zero at PCAC24 featured a Dance, a Drag Show, 5 Panels, 2 Game Shows and extra hours in the Artist Cafe, Video Game, Tabletop & Mini Painting rooms. Registration opened at 7pm, with programming running from 8pm-midnight.
What are the Convention Hours? When Will the Convention Schedule be posted online?
- PopCult Anime Con is typically open from 9am to past midnight on Saturday and 9am to 7pm Sunday, with bonus hours on Friday evening from 7pm to midnight for pre-registered attendees.
- The event schedule will be posted online one week prior to the convention.
- Individual event and programming schedules may post in advance of the convention on the corresponding event or programming page.
- Scheduled events subject to change. Last minute changes to the schedule will be announced via signage at the con, typically at the room of the scheduled event and at the Info Desk.
I want to be a guest at your convention!
- Thank you for your interest in PopCult Anime Con!
- We prefer to showcase local entertainers, educators and artists over well-known actors or industry guests. If you live very far away from Massachusetts or have a long resume of big industry projects, our con will not be a good match for you.
- Our Local Legends receive guest treatment in exchange for their willingness to provide content at PopCult Anime Con. By showcasing local talent as guests our attendees have access to more intimate guest content, educational programming, hands-on participation opportunities and affordable convention prices.
- We select Legends each year from a list of applicants. Applications for Legends will open in early spring and will be announced on our website and across social media. Guest proposals sent outside of our application window may not be included or responded to.
- If you’d like to apply, please prepare a resume including short biography, other conventions you may have performed at, and a description of panels/content you’d be interested in bringing to PopCult Anime Con. Local Legends receive free hotel and access to meals, as well as guest badges and entourage badges for the weekend of PCAC. Additional equipment needs, travel costs, fees, etc. negotiable; please note these in your application. We look forward to working with you!
How do I sign up to be an Artist/Vendor/Exhibitor?
- Exhibitor info is available early each year, with applications for each opening in March.
- We host up to 30 mixed Artist and Vendor tables annually in the Concord Ballroom of the Westin-Waltham Boston. Both types of applicants are juried by a panel of their peers with 20+ years of experience each in convention vending.
- While there are certain things we look for that distinguishes Vendors from Artists, the basic criteria for each winds down to “Being over 18, Submitting a Website/Portfolio, Having a Mix of Anime & Pop-Culture Appeal, Not Selling Weapons, Food or Bootlegs, and Obtaining a MA State Tax ID.”
- Vendor applications are vetted in the order they apply, with overflow applicants being offered a spot on our waitlist. It may take a few weeks to hear from the Exhibitor Staff regarding their decision, but all applicants will be contacted about their status.
- Artist applications are open for a short window of time, after which Exhibitor Staff will conduct a competitive jury. A waiting list is made from the applicants who meet the base criteria but are not selected for the first wave of tables. Waitlisted artists are then offered tables on a first-come first-serve basis depending on when each artist’s application was submitted. It’s a little complex, but the system feels more fair than pure FCFS, a pure jury or simple lottery.
- If you missed the application window for this year, we hope you will use this info to sign up next time!
- If you have any questions for the Exhibitor Staff, send them to popcultanime.exhibitors@gmail.com.