Nekocon

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title: "Nekocon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["anime-conventions-in-the-united-states", "recurring-events-established-in-1998", "1998-establishments-in-virginia", "annual-events-in-virginia", "festivals-in-virginia", "culture-of-hampton,-virginia", "tourist-attractions-in-hampton,-virginia", "conventions-in-virginia"] description: "Anime convention held in Hampton, Virginia" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekocon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Anime convention held in Hampton, Virginia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox Convention"]

Field	Value
name	Nekocon
image	File:Nekocon 17 Hampton Virginia Va. (15558632770).jpg
caption	Cosplayers at Nekocon, 2014
status	Active
genre	Anime, Asian culture
venue	Hampton Roads Convention Center
location	Hampton, Virginia
country	United States
first	1998
attendance	6,900 in 2014
website
::

| name = Nekocon | image = File:Nekocon 17 Hampton Virginia Va. (15558632770).jpg | caption = Cosplayers at Nekocon, 2014 | status = Active | genre = Anime, Asian culture | venue = Hampton Roads Convention Center | location = Hampton, Virginia | country = United States | first = 1998 | organizer = | attendance = 6,900 in 2014 | website =

Nekocon is an annual three-day anime convention held traditionally on the first weekend in November at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. It is Virginia's oldest anime convention. The convention's name comes from the Japanese word ja, meaning "cat".

Programming

The convention typically offers art shows, artist's alley, autograph sessions, card game tournaments, charity auction, concerts, costume competition, dances, dealer's room, fashion show, karaoke contests, kimono/tea ceremony workshop, maid cafe, music video contest, panels, Q&A sessions, role playing, tabletop games, vendors, video game tournaments, video rooms, and workshops. Nekocon's 2015 charity events benefited Be The Match. Nekocon's 2025 charities included the Carolina Manga Library and Hampton Roads Cancer Care Foundation, for which the convention raised $7,249.

History

An attendance cap of 1,600 passes was instituted in 2003 due to fire code regulations. The convention held its first J-rock concert in 2009, hosting Suicide Ali. Virginia Air and Space Center provided content during the 2012 convention. Nekocon 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Event history

::data[format=table]

Dates	Location	Atten.	Guests
date = October 2–4, 1998	venue = Holiday Inn Executive Center	location = Virginia Beach, Virginia	attendance = 506
::

References

References

1. (November 2, 2012). "NekoCon anime festival launches fans into outer space". Daily Press.
2. (November 4, 2016). "NekoCon 2016 returns to Hampton Convention Center". Daily Press.
3. McDonald, Sam. (2011-10-03). "NekoCon, a Japanese animation festival, brings colorful characters to Hampton". Daily Press.
4. (2007-10-07). "After Action Report". The Virginian-Pilot.
5. Tennant, Diane. (2011-10-03). "NekoCon, a gathering of anime aficionados". The Virginian-Pilot.
6. (August 2025). "Audience: Nekocon 16". WAVY.
7. (October 30, 2015). "Audience: NekoCon 18". WAVY.
8. (8 November 2023). "NekoCon 25: Little Witch Catademia". Local Daily Media.
9. (2003-11-02). "Nekocon Announces Attendance Cap". AnimeCons.com.
10. McDonald, Sam. (2009-10-06). "This Year's Nekocon A Treat For Eyes And Ears". Daily Press.
11. (November 2, 2017). "Thousands expected to attend 20th annual Japanese anime convention NekoCon". Daily Press.
12. (17 July 2020). "Sad News – Nekocon Has Been Postponed to 2021".
13. "NekoCon 2020 Information". AnimeCons.com.
14. "Nekocon 1998 Information". AnimeCons.com.
15. "Nekocon 1999 Information". AnimeCons.com.
16. "Nekocon 2000 Information". AnimeCons.com.
17. "Nekocon 2001 Information". AnimeCons.com.
18. "Nekocon 2002 Information". AnimeCons.com.
19. "Nekocon 2003 Information". AnimeCons.com.
20. "Nekocon 2004 Information". AnimeCons.com.
21. "Nekocon 2005 Information". AnimeCons.com.
22. Forster, Dave. (2006-10-05). "Fans of Japanese animation, or anime, convene in Hampton". The Virginian-Pilot.
23. "Nekocon 2006 Information". AnimeCons.com.
24. "Nekocon 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com.
25. (November 16, 2008). "Heroes, Villains And Glomps". Daily Press.
26. "Nekocon 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com.
27. "Nekocon 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com.
28. "Nekocon 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com.
29. "Nekocon 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com.
30. "Nekocon 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com.
31. "Nekocon 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com.
32. "Nekocon 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com.
33. "Nekocon 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com.
34. "NekoCon 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com.
35. "NekoCon 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com.
36. "NekoCon 2018 Information". AnimeCons.com.
37. "NekoCon 2019 Information". AnimeCons.com.
38. "NekoCon 2021 Information". AnimeCons.com.
39. "NekoCon 2022 Information". AnimeCons.com.
40. "NekoCon 2023 Information". AnimeCons.com.
41. (2 October 2025). "NekoCon 27 Set to Return to Hampton Roads Convention Center". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily.
42. "NekoCon 2024 Information". AnimeCons.com.
43. (4 November 2025). "In Photos: NekoCon 27 Goes Cy-Purr-Punk". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily.
44. "NekoCon 2025 Information". AnimeCons.com.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::