By Steven Ospina Delgado
Cartoon nostalgia takes center stage when Extravacon returns to the Hilton Long Island at 598 Broadhollow Road in Melville on Saturday, November 14 and Sunday November 15, bringing voice actors from Hey Arnold!, Dora the Explorer and other animated favorites together with cosplay, retro gaming and hands-on fan activities.
The convention is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Nickelodeon’s Hey Arnold! with a reunion featuring series creator Craig Bartlett, Lane Toran, the original voice of Arnold, and Jamil Walker Smith, who voiced his best friend Gerald. Anndi McAfee, who played Phoebe, and Justin Shenkarow, the voice of Harold, will also be there.
Other voice actors on hand include Kathleen Herles, the original voice of Dora the Explorer, Jim Cummings, known for voicing Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger, Bill Farmer, the longtime voice of Goofy, and Terry McGovern, the original voice of Launchpad McQuack in DuckTales and Darkwing Duck.
The guest lineup is only part of the weekend. The convention is also expanding the ways fans can take part, with activities ranging from retro video games to hands-on robot battles.
Along with panels and meet-and-greets, the Classic Console Corner, presented by Long Island Retro Gaming Expo, will offer games on systems including Nintendo, Sega and PlayStation consoles. The Long Island Tamagotchi Club will host a meetup for virtual-pet enthusiasts, while Saber Guild will teach aspiring Jedi basic lightsaber moves. Fans can also build, drive and battle robots at Build ’N Bash, try the 501st Legion’s Blast-A-Trooper activity and watch cartoons from the 1990s and 2000s in the Toon Zone.
Fans looking to do some shopping (it’s the holiday season after all!) can explore Extravacon’s extensive dealer room and Artist Alley, where more than 20 artists and creators are scheduled to showcase their work. With vendor tables sold out, the marketplace will be another major part of the weekend, giving attendees a chance to browse collectibles and discover independent artists.
Cosplay fans will have their moment in the spotlight, too. During the returning cosplay contest, participants will show off their craftsmanship to judges – Ash2Ash Cosplay, Raiments by Miranda and TheDopplegangerCosplay – before taking the stage for a runway presentation at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The top prize includes a $300 gift card and VIP tickets to next year’s Extravacon. A cosplay repair station will be available for last-minute costume fixes.
For founders Rebecca Seepersad and Mark Rodenburg, Extravacon grew out of their own enthusiasm for conventions and an earlier trading card show. Seepersad and Rodenburg were huge conventiongoers; they never missed New York Comic-Con. Seepersad’s love for conventions brewed into what is now the Long Island Trading Card Game show, which started at the small Plainview Holiday Inn. What Seepersad didn’t expect was over 800 people pouring in.
Seepersad and Rodenburg later launched Extravacon, which debuted last year. Seepersad recalled how much it meant to attendees to meet the performers behind familiar characters.
“Our videographer caught a lot of really nice interactions,” Seepersad said. “There was this one attendee that came and met Marty Grabstein, the voice of Courage the Cowardly Dog, and he was really excited.”
Although Seepersad said many attendees are adults eager to meet the voices of their childhood, the convention also welcomes families. Its Kidz Korner offers creative activities and hands-on fun for younger visitors. Event schedules, guest updates and tickets are available at extravacon.com.
Extravacon takes place Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road in Melville. Parking is free. Tickets are available at https://www.eventeny.com/events/extravacon-2026-28088/, and additional information is available at https://www.extravacon.com/.
Photo: Fans celebrate pop culture at Extravacon in Melville. (Courtesy of Extravacon)
Steven Ospina Delgado is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
