It’s finally fall, and a full schedule of fun autumn events awaits! Read on for our preview of the fandom events, festivals, and live music coming your way this October.
Northeast
New York Comic Con Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY – October 4-7, 2018
One of the world’s most iconic fandom and pop culture events returns to New York City’s Javits Center this October, promising yet another weekend of fun, exclusive collectibles, amazing panel discussions, an incredible lineup of celebrity guests, and so much more! While you’re not admiring the cosplayers or browsing Artist Alley for your next art purchase, be sure to make time for a photo or autograph from some of your favorite celebrities including Mark Ruffalo, Danai Gurira, Jason Momoa, and Zachary Levi. Plus, new to this year, be sure to check out Anime Fest @ NYCC x Anime Expo, a full four-day anime-focused festival that celebrates anime, manga, cosplay, artists, J-pop, delicious food, and more in Japanese culture, all taking place concurrently with NYCC!
Harvest Fest 2018 Stone Barns Center, Pocantico Hills, NY – October 6, 2018
Celebrate the season while supporting Stone Barns Center’s mission to create a healthy and sustainable food system at Harvest Fest 2018! Attendees of this year’s festival will enjoy activities like hayrides and educational tours, crafts, live music, and seasonal fare from local vendors, with something for the whole family to enjoy. Plus, you’ll be supporting a good cause, as Stone Barns devotes its time to training farmers, educating food citizens, developing agroecological farming practices, and convening change makers to benefit us all. Happy fall, indeed!
Meadowlands Mile – Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment, East Rutherford, NJ – October 6, 2018
Prepare for an unforgettable event, racing fans! The Meadowlands Mile, the final event of American Flat Track’s (AFT) 2018 schedule, and the spot where championships in both AFT Twins and AFT Singles classes are very likely to be determined, is just days away. Featuring a firm track surface, massive grandstands, luxury suites, comfortable fan accommodations, great food, hotels, and New York City nightlife just minutes away, it’s a series finale that will definitely live up to the hype. Grab your tickets now and plan to be wowed in the largest and loudest possible way!
South
2018 Chesapeake Virginia Wine Festival Chesapeake City Park, Chesapeake, VA – October 13, 2018
The Ninth Annual Chesapeake Virginia Wine Festival brings live music, delicious food, talented artisans, and lots of tasty local wine to Chesapeake City Park this October! Enjoy unlimited tastings from 20 premier Virginia Winery locations and an extensive selection at the International Wine Village. Not to mention, proceeds from the event will benefit the Chesapeake Regional Mammogram 3D mobile van, Boys & Girls Clubs, and the community charities of the Rotary Club of Chesapeake. Get ready to raise a glass while you raise funds for these great causes!
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival Farmers Branch Historical Park, Farmers Branch, TX – October 19-20, 2018
You’ll enjoy a weekend full of bluegrass fun at this year’s Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival at Texas’s Farmers Branch Historical Park! With two days full of live music, an amazing arts & crafts marketplace, and shuttles to the Celebration of Roses held at Farmers Branch City Hall, this fun autumn festival has something for everyone. Reserve your tickets today, and celebrate bluegrass heritage in the best way!
Alamo City Comic Con Alamodome, San Antonio, TX – October 26-28, 2018
Alamo City Comic Con is the biggest comic book and pop culture celebration deep in the heart of Texas, and it’s on its way with super speed! Meet your pop culture icons as you choose from an amazing lineup of celebrity guests featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeff Goldblum, William Shatner, Neve Campbell, and so many more. Put the finishing touches on your best cosplay and test your skill in the Alamo City Comic Con costume contest. Explore amazing exhibitors and find that long lost collectible you’ve been searching for. Whatever you do, be sure to act fast and reserve your tickets today!
Midwest
The North Face Speaker Series, Free Solo Music Box Theatre, Chicago, IL – October 18, 2018
The North Face Speaker Series provides an exciting, exclusive opportunity to hear from the filmmakers, directors, and athletes behind incredible and inspiring works of film. From Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the directors of Meru, comes Free Solo, an intimate portrait of Alex Honnold as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing all 3,200 ft of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park with no rope. And if that’s not exciting enough, The North Face is proud to donate 100% of ticket sales through the Speaker Series to the Honnold Foundation, an organization which awards grants to bold and ethical organizations driving innovation in the solar industry!
Monster Truck Nationals Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO – October 20, 2018
Prepare to witness the thunder as the nation’s most competitive monster trucks storm into the Lucas Oil Speedway! Witness these incredible, high jumping, ground pounding, car crushing giants race in side-by-side drags, wheelie shootouts, and amazing freestyle action during this unforgettable spectacle. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to meet the drivers and see the trucks up close at the pre-event Autograph Pit Party on the track!
Bar Crawl Nation Halloween – Chicago Emporium Arcade Bar, Chicago, IL – October 20, 2018
Get your haunt on at Bar Crawl Nation’s Halloween edition, Chicago! Celebrate the spookiest time of the year by exploring some of Wicker Park’s best bars, checking into each location with the official Bar Crawl Nation app for rewards and prizes. Plus, be sure to don your best costume for your chance to win the costume contest! Drinking is 100% optional on this delightfully ghoulish crawl, and there are quite a few other cities to choose from as well, so reserve your tickets today and get excited for some tricks and treats!
West
Mile High Spirits Block Party Mile High Spirits, Denver, CO – October 13, 2018
Are you ready for a block party like no other, Denver? Make your way to Mile High Spirits this month for a festival filled with live music, local food vendors, a craft village, and much more! Featuring a stacked lineup including Dillon Francis, Cashmere Cat, Goldfish, Option4, Toy Box, Mean Team, and more, not to mention an exclusive afterparty featuring Manila Killa, Hex Cougar, Y2K, Zotti, b2b, and Chuck Sutton, you’re sure to get your fill of live entertainment! Get your tickets while you can, and enjoy the spirits, food, and fun!
Portland Retro Gaming Expo Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR – October 19-21, 2018
The 13th annual Portland Retro Gaming Expo (PRGE) returns to the Oregon Convention Center this month, and you won’t want to miss it! This locally-produced event celebrating the colorful history of console, computer, and arcade gaming features a massive retro arcade filled with coin-op games set to freeplay for the weekend, not to mention the fan favorite cosplay contest, engaging panel discussions, video gaming tournaments, and so much more. PRGE truly has something for everyone, so reserve your tickets today and prepare to game!
Los Angeles Comic Con Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA – October 26-28, 2018
2018 marks Los Angeles Comic Con’s “Octoversary,” which is their eighth annual show in L.A.! Meet some of your favorite celebrities and creators like Danny Trejo, Dot-Marie Jones, and Rob Liefeld, and participate in fun activities like the Voiceover Workshop, Geekfest, Cosplay Nationals, and indoor trick-or-treating for the kids. And don’t forget the exclusive panels, amazing exhibitors, and incredible artists L.A. Comic Con is known for! Get your tickets today, and we’ll see you at the Con!