Hey guys!
Top Ten Tuesday is on hiatus until mid-August so Jamie @TheBrokeandTheBookish kindly said we could create our own topics in the mean time. Last week I did 10 books with amazing international editions, but this week, since YALC is in four days’ time, I’ve decided to look at 10 book conventions I’d love to visit!
Since I’m a big fan of graphic novels and manga, as well as fiction, this list will contain conventions related to both. So let’s jump straight in!
1. BookExpo America (BEA)
When: 30th May-1st June 2018
Where: New York City, USA
One of the big hitters in the book convention world, BEA began in 1947 as the American Booksellers Association Convention and Trade Show. It now plays host to come of the biggest publishing houses in the US and sees thousands of visitors attend every year. BEA is the place to be for advanced copies and author signings, and I’d really love to go in the next few years.
2. Comiket
When: 11th-13th August 2017
Where: Tokyo, Japan
Comiket is the world’s largest comic and doujinshi (self-published works) fair, held twice a year (summer and winter) in Toyko. Cosplay is a big part of the convention and attendance was as large as half a million people in the winter of 2016. Since this is in Japan and focuses on independent artists’ comics, it’s exactly the kind of convention I’d love to visit.
3. Bookcon
When: 2nd & 3rd June 2018
Where: New York City, USA
Similar to BEA, Bookcon is one of America’s biggest literature conventions, but unlike BEA, it was only founded in 2014. The convention came under fire in its inaugural year for the lack of diversity in its author lineup, but thankfully, seems to have improved its prospects since then.
4. Edinburgh International Book Festival
When: 12th-28th August 2017
Where: Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities to visit regardless of the time of year or event, but visiting for a literature festival with author talks and workshops? Yes please.
5. UK Indie Literary Festival
When: 26th August 2017
Where: Bradford, UK
This is a brand new literature festival, taking place in the UK and celebrating indie authors and publishing houses. There will be talks by authors and opportunities to learn more about the publishing industry.
6. Asia Pop Comic Convention
When: 25th-27th August 2017
Where: Manila, Philippines
Asia Pop Comicon is another huge comic book convention, celebrating graphic novels, manga, and anime at its finest.
7. Cheltenham Literature Festival
When: 6th-15th October 2017
Where: Cheltenham, UK
A well known event, in the UK literary sphere, Cheltenham lit fest has some wonderful author talks and workshops on offer, and it takes place outside of the usual summer months, making for a good autumnal event.
8. Chicago Book Expo
When: 1st October 2017
Where: Chicago, USA
Chicago Book expo is a free event, celebrating up to 100 local publishers and nonprofit organisations selling books. I’d love to go to some of the workshops and just generally wander through the book-loving crowds.
9. San Diego Comic Con
When: 18th – 22nd July 2018
Where: San Diego, USA
SDCC is a convention I’ve dreamed about going to for years. Ever since I visited America six years ago, and missed it by two days, I’ve longed to go and attend one of the most exciting fan conventions the US has to offer. Manga and graphic novels, as well as films, anime, and TV shows bring the convention centre to life for four days.
10. Armageddon Expo
When: 20th 23rd October 2017
Where: Various cities, New Zealand
Armageddon is New Zealand’s primary convention, holding multiple events in different cities, including Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin. It showcases manga, animation, film and TV, comics, cosplay, and pop culture, and hosts celebrity guests from Youtube, films, TV shows, and gaming. Dubbed NZ’s largest fantasy event, it sound like something I’d love to attend.
Have you ever been to any of these conventions? Which cons would you like to attend in future? I’ve been to YALC and London’s MCM Expo, so I’d love to know which events you’ve been to!
readingthroughinfinity.com 
I’ve been wanting to go to a book convention for sooo long now! The one in Edinburgh has been on the top of my list as well as YALC in London. Living in L.A. doesn’t help the situation… *sigh*.
Aww I hope you get to go to one soon! I went to YALC last year and it was incredible, so I’m really excited for it this weekend! I feel the same but the other way round – I’d love to go to some US conventions but living in the UK makes it a little tricky!
Lucky you! Let me know how it goes, it’s been my dream to go to YALC!
Haha- we should switch places! 🙂
YALC was AMAZING! They had so many great authors and I managed to meet V. E. Schwab twice on the Saturday so I’m feeling incredibly happy about that! There were also some super giveaways and events too. I hope you get to go some day because it’s so much fun and everyone is really friendly. 🙂
OH MY GOODNESS REALLY!! Did you get all the books you wanted signed?
I really hope so too one day! I’ve been looking into grad programs in London or Scotland so I’ll hopefully be able to go by next year! 🙂
Yes! I got A Darker Shade of Magic and Our Dark Duet signed, so now my whole Shades of Magic trilogy is signed and I’m super happy about it! I hope you get to go too, I’d love for more people to be able to experience the fun and enjoyment of book festivals and conventions. 🙂
Skip BookCon and go to ALA. It’s much better. BookCon is crazy and I got 10x the books.
Oooh I’ve heard that ALA is good! What’s it like?
It’s like being given any book you’ve wanted that’s come out that year for free. It’s meeting authors without standing in huge lines. It’s feeling like you are respected instead of seeing people everywhere grab books just because they are free. (BookCon was my first and then ALA – I will never go back to BookCon now).
That sounds great, perhaps I’ll have to consider a trip over for it one day!
Oh you’d love it! Consider it!!
I have been wanting to go to BEA but it’s so hard to get it *cries* I am hoping that I can go for 2018! I’ve been to 2 BookCons and they were both okay, kinda hectic but a cool experience. I would recommend a lot of patience and comfy shoes lol. I definitely want to go to San Diego ComicCon, it’s my brother’s and I dream to go one day! Here’s hoping! I hope you get to go to the conventions ❤
Aww I really hope you get to go next year! Yeah, I imagine that some of the US ones could be pretty busy and intense, but I quite like those kinds of environments. Yes, patience and comfy shoes are a must! And I hope we both get to go to SDCC, even better if we accidentally went in the same year! 🙂
OMG that would be so freaking awesome!!
I would love to go to BEA/BookCon, it seems like the biggest place to get all the hottest ARCs of the year! The only convention/festival I’ve really been to is YALLFest, I’ll be going for the second time this year and it’s a lot of fun! I hope you get to attend all the conventions on your list someday ❤️
Yeah, they sound like massive events and there are always lots of exciting authors there. I’ve just come back from YALC and it was a wonderful weekend. They had lots of great authors and ARC giveaways so the whole weekend was full of excitement and fun!
The San Diego Comic Con has got to be at the top of my list. It’s basically a fangirl’s paradise haha. I’m always looking for an excuse to visit Edinburgh as well so that might be the one to do it. 😛
Yeah, SDCC sounds like a dream! I imagine Edinburgh would be calmer and cheaper though, and since it’s only a train ride away from me rather than a flight I think I’d be more likely to go to that one first!
This is a great list, and a great theme for this week’s TTT Kate. It’s definitely appropriate considering YALC starts very soon! 😀
I would love to go to BEA and BookCon one year, and one year I definitely will. I think it would be nice to go back to New York and if I could get in a book convention while I was there even better! Also SDCC would be a dream come true, seriously I would LOVE to go there but another part of me is unsure how I’d deal with the crowds and how hectic it would clearly be.
Thanks Beth! It was awesome to meet you and spend time hanging out over YALC weekend, hope you had fun! 🙂
That’s all right, and yes it was brilliant meeting you this weekend as well. 🙂
Bring on YALC 2018 right? 😀
YES! YALC 2018 is 400% happening! 😀
Whoop! 😀