The Brits love a festival it would seem. Hardly a month goes past without another one being spawned. Here’s a better list than you’ll find most places for UK scifi, fantasy and horror conventions and festivals.
- Whitby Goth Weekend, 30 Oct-1 Nov 2020: it all goes on in Whitby. Why? Cos that’s where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, where much of the novel is set, and where the dark lord arrived in the UK to boot, http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/
- World Fantasy Convention, 29 Oct-1 Nov 2020, Salt Lake City, USA: http://www.worldfantasy.org/
- FantastiCon, 15-16 Aug 2020, Cleethorpes: SF/Gaming/VR/RPG/Authors/Readings/Cosplay/Stage shows/Live Music/Holographic tech… they’ve got it all, http://fantasticon.co.uk/
- Discworld Convention, 7-10 Aug 2020: all things Pratchett!, https://2020.dwcon.org/
- CoNZealand 2020 – the 78th Worldcon, 29 July-2 Aug 2020, Wellington, New Zealand: the world science fiction convention, https://conzealand.nz/
- EDGE-LIT 9, 11-12 July 2020, Derby: scifi, fantasy and horror writing, https://www.facebook.com/events/2294579454117390/?notif_t=plan_user_invited¬if_id=1563285484662259
- Utopia 2020, 12-14 June 2020, Bedfordshire: https://www.fantomevents.co.uk/utopia-2020/
- Cymera, 5-7 June 2020, Edinburgh: Scotland’s festival of science fiction, fantasy and horror writing, https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/
- Satellite 7, 22-24 May 2020, Glasgow: scifi convention with a ‘hard’ scientific focus, https://seven.satellitex.org.uk/
- Whitby Goth Weekend, 24-26 Apr 2020: it all goes on in Whitby. Why? Cos that’s where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, where much of the novel is set, and where the dark lord arrived in the UK to boot, http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/
- SFW XI, 23-26 Apr 2020, Sheffield: also known as the ‘Sci Fi Weekender’, http://www.scifiweekender.com/
- Dimension Jump XXI, 29-31 May 2020, Nottingham: official Red Dwarf convention, http://www.dimensionjump.info/
- HorrorCon UK, 16-17 May 2020, Sheffield: with guests and vendors, https://www.horrorconuk.com/
- Concentric, EasterCon, 10-13 April 2020, Birmingham: the UK’s national sci-fi convention, run by the BSFA, https://www.concentric2020.uk/
- Threshold Fantasy Conference, 12-13 March 2020, York University: academic conference about the genre! https://fantasythreshold2020.home.blog/
- Liverpool Comic Con, 6-8 March 2020: https://www.facebook.com/comicconliverpool/
- Valiant 2020, 7 March 2020, Sheffield: Doctor Who convention, https://www.fantomevents.co.uk/valiant-2019/
- Weekend of the Dead, March 2020 (tbc), Manchester: guests from various zombie films, Europe’s biggest Romero convention, cosplay, etc, http://www.weekendofthedead.co.uk/
- LarpCon, 28 Feb-1 Mar 2020, Leicester: the UK’s biggest ‘Live Action Role Playing’ convention, http://larpcon.co.uk/
- Walker Stalker Con, 22-23 Feb 2020, London: a horror con, with stars from The Walking Dead, etc, http://walkerstalkercon.com/london/
- Heroes & Villans Fan Fest, 22-23 Feb 2020, London: with guest appearances of stars from the Arrow and Gotham tv series, etc, http://heroesfanfest.com/london/
- London Anime & Gaming Convention, 14-16 Feb 2020: lot of Japanese cosplay and so forth, http://winter.londonanimecon.com/
- Capital Sci-Fi Con, 14-16 Feb 2020, Edinburgh: cosplay and scifi culture, http://www.capitalscificon.co.uk/
- Gallifrey One, 14-16 Feb 2020, Los Angeles(!): the world’s biggest and longest running Doctor Who convention, http://www.gallifreyone.com/
- SF Ball 26, 7-9 Feb 2020, Southampton: proper big scifi event, albeit mainly TV and film, etc. https://scifiball.com/
- For The Love Of Sci-Fi, 7-8 Dec 2019, Manchester: TV and film, props, cosplay and guests, http://fortheloveofsci-fi.com/
- Wales Comic Con, 7-8 Dec 2019, Telford: https://www.walescomiccon.com/
- Dragonmeet, 30 Nov 2019, London: UK’s biggest fantasy gaming convention, http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/
- Reading Comic-Con, 23-24 Nov 2019, Reading: now in its fourth year, with a focus on gaming, cosplay, scifi and fantasy, https://www.facebook.com/readingcomiccon/
- Novacon 49, 8-10 Nov 2019, Nottingham: the UK’s longest-established regional (operating out of Birmingham) science fiction convention, held every autumn since 1971; has a definite focus on scifi literature rather than anything else, http://www.novacon.org.uk/n49/
- SFW X, 31 Oct-3 Nov 2019, Great Yarmouth: formerly known as the ‘Sci Fi Weekender’, http://www.scifiweekender.com/
- World Fantasy Convention, 31 Oct-3 Nov 2019, Los Angeles, USA: http://www.worldfantasy.org/
- Edinburgh Horror Festival, 26 Oct-3 Nov 2019: horror film festival, https://www.edhorrorfest.co.uk/
- BristolCon, 26 Oct 2019, Bristol: a one-day convention organized by the Bristol Fantasy and SF Society, http://www.bristolcon.org/
- Bram Stoker Festival, 25-28 Oct 2019, Dublin: Dracula-related festival, with discussion panels, readings and film showings, http://www.bramstokerfestival.com/
- Whitby Goth Weekend, 25-27 Oct 2019: it all goes on in Whitby. Why? Cos that’s where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, where much of the novel is set, and where the dark lord arrived in the UK to boot, http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/
- MCM London Comic Con, 25-27 Oct 2019: one of the biggest comic cons, http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/
- Panopticon Lite, 20 Oct 2019, London Heathrow: intimate one-day Doctor Who event, with stars in attendance, https://panopticonevents.com/panopticon-lite-schedule/
- Destination Star Trek, 25-27 Oct 2019, Birmingham: what it says on the tin, and Sulu will be attending! http://destinationstartrek.com/
- FantasyCon, 18-20 Oct 2019, Glasgow: UK national fantasy convention, run by the British Fantasy Society, http://www.fantasycon.org/
- Vampire Ball, 18-20 Oct 2019, Birmingham: all things vampire, in its tenth year! http://www.seanharry.com/vampire/
- Stoke CON Trent, 13 Oct 2019: guests from scifi tv series, including Doctor Who, https://www.facebook.com/StokeCONTrent/
- The Lakes International Comic Art Festival, 11-13 Oct 2019, Kendal: a festival for comicbook art, basically, http://www.comicartfestival.com
- EM-Con Derby, 6 Oct 2019: the East Midlands scifi and fantasy convention: the focus is mainly TV and film, mind you, http://www.em-con.co.uk/
- GRIMMFEST, 3-6 Oct 2019, Manchester: film festival which has been showing horror, cult, fantastical and scifi movies since 2009, http://grimmfest.com/grimmupnorth/
- Nor-Con, 28-29 Sept 2019, Norwich: scifi convention for Star Wars, Batman, Doctor Who, Star Trek and so on, http://www.nor-con.co.uk/
- MCM Scotland Comic Con, 28-29 Sept 2019, Glasgow: http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/scotland/
- CovCon – Coventry Comic Con, 28 Sept 2019: comics, cosplay, TV&film, gaming and merchandise, http://www.coventrycomiccon.uk
- J-Con, 27-28 Sept 2019, Derby: the largest cosplay convention in the East Midlands, running for ever ten years, http://www.j-con.co.uk/
- EM-Con Worcester, 15 Sept 2019: the East Midlands scifi and fantasy convention: the focus is mainly TV and film, mind you, http://www.em-con.co.uk/
- Film and Comic Con Exeter, 14-15 Sept 2019: http://filmandcomicconexeter.com/
- Preston Comic Con, 31 Aug 2019: taking place in Preston Guild Hall, http://www.prestoncomiccon.co.uk
- Dragon Con, 29 Aug-2 Sept 2019, Atlanta, USA: pretty much the world’s biggest fantasy and scifi convention, http://www.dragoncon.org/
- Stars of Time, 25-26 Aug 2019, Weston-super-Mare: the South West’s premier scifi and entertainment show, http://www.starsoftime.co.uk/
- The Asylum, 23-26 Aug 2019, Lincoln: the world’s largest and longest running STEAMPUNK festival, http://www.asylumsteampunk.co.uk/
- FrightFest, 22-26 Aug 2019, London: horror film festival basically, http://www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsevents.
- TitanCon, The EuroCon, 22-25 Aug 2019, Belfast: scifi and fantasy literature and TV, with a Game of Thrones focus recently, http://www.titancon.com/
- Dublin 2019, An Irish WorldCon, 15-19 Aug 2019: the 77th world science fiction convention, https://dublin2019.com/ … (also includes what was known as OctoCon in previous years)
- Film and Comic Con Glasgow, 17-18 Aug 2019, Glasgow: http://filmandcomicconglasgow.com/
- OzConUK, 10-11 Aug 2019, Oswestry, Shropshire: cosplay, trader stalls, DC and Marvel, http://www.ozconuk.com/
- Tolkien 2019, 7-11 Aug 2019, Birmingham: run by The Tolkien Society, for fans, scholars and students, https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2018/
- MCM Manchester Comic Con, 27-28 July 2019: one of the biggest comic cons in the north-west, http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/manchester/
- London Film and Comic Con, 26-28 July 2019: with guests from scifi/fantasy movies and TV series, http://www.londonfilmandcomiccon.com/
- St Albans Comic-Con, 14 July 2019, St Albans: stalls, cosplay, stars from TV and film, https://www.facebook.com/constalbans/
- Comic Con World, 29-30 June 2019, Blackpool Winter Gardens: with cosplay, proper commercial backers and TV and film franchises, http://www.comicconworld.co.uk/
- Leicester Horror Con, 22 June 2019: stalls, guests, talks and screenings: https://www.facebook.com/LeicesterHorrorCon/
- GIFCon, 23-24 May 2019, University of Glasgow: Glasgow International Fantasy Conversations, an exploration of academic themes in fantasy literature, https://gifcon.org/home/
- Yorkshire Cosplay Con, 18-19 May 2019, Sheffield, www.yccevents.co.uk
- Sci-Fi Scarborough, 6-7 April 2019: going from strength to strength, www.scifiscarborough.co.uk
- FrightFest Glasgow, 1-2 March 2019: horror film festival basically, http://www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsevents.
- Birmingham International Horrorshow, 27 Jan 2019, Birmingham: horror film event, https://filmfreeway.com/BirminghamHorror
- Loughborough Comic-Con, 11 Nov 2018, Loughborough: stalls, cosplay and stars from TV and film, https://www.facebook.com/loughboroughcomiccon/… no 2019 event, but may return 2020!
- Festival Number 6, 6-9 Sept 2018, Portmeirion: a music, arts and culture festival in the home of The Prisoner, surely one of the coolest and most surreal of festivals, http://www.festivalnumber6.com/… now a defunct convention, apparently!
- Scifi Wales, 1 Sept 2018, Llandudno: mainly a tv and film focus, http://www.scifiwales.uk/
- Nine Worlds, 10-12 Aug 2018, London: gaming, film, cosplay, fandom, literature, science and geek culture, http://nineworlds.co.uk/… now a defunct convention, apparently!
- Global release of The Book of Dragons, 29 Sept 2017: A J Dalton’s new book!
If you run or know of a convention you’d like included in the above list, just give me a shout.
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Hello! Sorry to be a pain, but BristolCon is organised by the Bristol Fantasy and SF society, not the British one. We don’t like to give ourselves airs down in the West Country!
Thanks, hierath. Now amended. No offence. Keep your ‘airs’ on. Poor joke, sorry, too much caffeine. Adam
Hehehe, cheers for that!
Microcon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcon
Longest running convention in the South West.
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Hi! Could you update your entry for BristolCon? The 2013 event takes place on 26th October at the DoubleTree, Bristol City Centre. Many thanks.
A convention in swansea, well just outside
https://www.facebook.com/events/1428004037443044/
just heard about it
Wow an up to date list 😀 this is what I like to see.
I’m Sam, captain of StarBase Leicester, and every year we get together with a local cinema called Phoenix Square to run ScifiFest. A movie festival perfect for geeks! with a quiz, gaming, book launch, and even a nerf shooting gallery and a 3d printing display with a chance to print stuff!
http://www.phoenix.org.uk/index.php?cms_id=615
this is the event May 10th, wish I’d found you sooner… Keep up the good work
Sam
Hello, Scardiff will be hosting their 2nd horror convention at Cardiff masonic hall in October.http://scardiff.co.uk/.
A slightly eclectic convention in Cambridge is happening in a few days’ time including some fantasy writing and storytelling, might just be worth adding it:
http://www.exilian.co.uk/ExiliCon
One off event on the 25th October…
Greenwich Time Symposium: Objects in Time
A day of enquiry, tinkering and questioning, examining the facts and fiction behind everyday objects.
With panel discussion, talk on writing by sci-fi novelist Robert Adam, and you can get involved in a clockwork workshop with steampunk artist Jemma Hewitt.
25 October
12.00-16.00
£15 / £10 members and concessions
http://bit.ly/NMMobjctstime
Hiya I was wondering if you would add Whitby Sci Fi & Comic Con to your list. It is on the 28th of November 2015 at Whitby pavilion and will be bringing tables, signers, photo opps and a great environment for costumers of all levels to get together. It’s going to be a fun day raising money for a great cause, early detection of cancer.
Thank you.
Hi was wondering if you could add our event to your list for 2016, its INVICTACON and takes place on the 7th August 2016 at the Bridgewood Manor Hotel, Rochester Kent. We will have traders, signers and gaming tables as well as props and displays
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Well I am all but booked for the Fantasy Con by the sea in Scarborough. I am particularly looking forward to seeing Scott Lynch. It’s great that there are so many conventions taking place in the UK, we are really flying the flag, it’s just a shame there aren’t many up here in the North East. Joe Abercrombie is making his way up to Waterstone’s in Newcastle in April (27th) so I suppose that’s something.
PS I’ll be blogging the evening with him as well if anyone is interested 🙂
Cheers
DC
Fantasy Con in Scarborough – a 50/50 chance I’ll be there. The issue is the cost of the whole thing – day tickets, hotel, travel, food, beer… you can easily part with 500 quid. And writers really aren’t the richest of people. In fact, they are paid less in real terms now than they ever have been in history. I did a great panel debate at the Fantasy Con last year (on religions in fantasy), but not sure about this year. Oh well.
Hi, is it possible to add Flash Festival? It’s a new event in Broadstairs that will have author talks, art exhibitions, cosplay, gaming expo and more:)
Sure thing, Katrina!
Hi,
Could you add Monster Comic Con? Doncaster Racecourse, October 7th and 8th 2017 (we have also secured dates for 2018 – October 6th and 7th 2018).
This is a broad ranging convention including all the elements of a comic con you may expect, plus a few extras. Our website is http://www.monstercomiccon.co.uk.
I am not sure what information you may require, but please contact me and I will provide any info you may wish.
Thanks
Hi there. Great list!
Would you maybe add Glasgow Horror Festival? It’s a two day event taking place this November in Glasgow – with indie films, art/merch market, horror theater, industry panels etc.
https://popcornhorror.yapsody.com/event/index/117871/glasgow-horror-festival-2017
Thanks 🙂
Hiya, would you mind adding our new cosplay event to your list, we are raising money for the Children with Cancer UK Charity with a one day event in 2018.
https://www.cosplayculture.net/
Welcome to Burton upon Trent’s premier Cosplay, Geek and Asian Culture event.
Cosplay Culture is a great way to meet new friends into eastern and western culture, including anime, cosplay, Sci-fi, food and music.
82p of every £1 raised at Cosplay Culture goes towards Children with Cancer UK to help the fight.
Hi, could you attach JCon to this, Derby’s anime convention that’s 11 years old this year? Runs 24th & 25th August. http://Www.j-con.co.uk thanks!
Hello my Name is Michael Lopes and we run various events please could you add the following please:
Galaxy – A Sci-Fi Celebration, 22nd,23rd & 24th June 2018 – Jersey, Channel Islands UK: Live Shows (with Boogie Storm), Clasic Sci-Fi Movies on the big Screen, Exhibition Centre & Special Guests form original Star Wars movies (Tim Rose, Paul Blake, Femi Taylor & Richard Oldfield) Supporting a charity at each event – why not come to what people say is the sunniest place in Britain and have a good time at one of our unique events! http://www.prestigeeventsjersey.com & follow us on Facebook @prestigeeventsjersey
Many Thanks
Hi AJ,
Please could you add our event? Thanks!
Covcon – Coventry Comic Con – Saturday 15th September – Back for a second year after a successful first show. TV/Film guests, comic artists, Live stage show and cosplay masquerade, displays, traders and new zones for 2018 – Comic, Gaming, Interactive and Cosplay! Find us at http://www.coventrycomiccon.uk. This year we are supporting the Big Cat Sanctuary charity.
Hi there. This is OzConUK.
2nd weekend in August. 10th-11th 2019.
http://Www.ozconuk.com
Oswestry Shropshire
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Please post up Comic Con World 29/30 June 2019 http://www.comicconworld.co.uk
Sci fi weekender : https://www.scifiweekender.com/
In March and October 2019
And sfw in the city …
Could you please add BristolCon 2019 (October 26th) to your list. Website is http://www.bristolcon.org Thanks in anticipation
I have a new event
Leicester Horror Con 2019
Saturday 22nd June, 2019
http://www.instagram.com/leicesterhorrorcon
http://www.facebook.com/LeicesterHorrorCon
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Hello, I would like to add our Doctor Who event to your listing – Panopticon LITE :
Title of Event: Panopticon LITE – All About “8”- The Eighth Doctor And 20th Anniversary of Big Finish
Date: October 20, 2019
Location: Sofitel, London Heathrow
Theme: – An intimate one day event of 100 people celebrating Doctor Who & Big Finish
Organizer: PANOPTICON
Guests: Paul McGann, Daphne Ashbrook, India Fisher and others TBA
Website: http://www.panopticonevents.com – Tickets are available on our website.
Thank you for listing our event. I can across your website and wanted to make sure we were included.