Long Island is gearing up for a full-on fandom explosion as four major events collide across the same December weekend. From a massive trading card marketplace to a holiday gaming takeover, anime cons getting Newsday love, and a horror festival with a killer mini-market, this is the weekend the Island’s geek scene goes into overdrive. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect excuse to dive into collectibles, cosplay, gaming, or seasonal spookiness—here are the five big things you need to know.
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Long Island TCG Show Marketplace returns December 14
Pokémon fans and collectors, clear your schedules. The Long Island TCG Show Marketplace is back with more than 100 vendor tables offering cards, Funkos, plushies, custom art, and rare finds. The Hyatt Regency Long Island opens early bird access at 10 a.m., with tickets available now. -
Festival of Games kicks off a massive holiday geek weekend
On December 13–14, Festival of Games transforms the Cradle of Aviation into a hands-on wonderland featuring Lite Brite zones, tabletop marathons, ornament crafting, cookie decorating, and one of the largest holiday gaming markets ever assembled. Details and tickets are at FestivalOfGamesNY.com. -
Two Long Island Con Runners Talk Anime in Newsday Article
Two of Long Island’s biggest cons that are dedicated to anime, manga, trading card games, as well as pop culture made waves recently getting quoted in a Newsday article that broke down the growing popularity of anime. While it might be old hat to many of our readers who have been anime fans for decades, the general public is just queuing in to the culture, and it’s exploding. Click here to get the full story. - Scared For Your Liife Horror Movie Film Festival
Long Island’s ONE AND ONLY Horror film festival! Featuring a frightening evening of horror films from around the world, killer vendors, sponsors to die for, monster meet and greet, costume contest, and live entertainment! More info here. -
Night Mini Market
Before the horror film festival enjoy the mini-market setup in the cafe for all your gifting / treating yourself needs. Market starts at 6 PM. MARKET ONLY – free admission & all ages welcome – please check with the cinema for film festival pricing and age restrictions
With so many fandoms colliding in one weekend, there’s no shortage of ways to dive into the season. Whether you’re hunting collectibles, meeting stormtroopers, or embracing your inner misfit, Long Island’s geek calendar has you covered.
