For five days at the end of every July, a slice of Wan Chai turns into the loudest, most colourful corner of the city. Queues snake around the harbourfront before the doors open, the air-conditioning works overtime, and somewhere inside, a teenager dressed as a giant mecha is carefully negotiating an escalator. This is Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong 2026 (香港動漫電玩節) — the city's biggest anime, comics and games convention, and one of the great spectacles of the local summer. Here's everything you need to plan your day.
In This Guide
What is Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong?
Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong — ACGHK for short, or simply "the anime expo" to most locals — is the city's flagship pop-culture convention. It has run at the end of July almost every year since 1999, when it started life as the humble Hong Kong Comics Festival. Comics gave way to animation, then video games piled in, and by 2008 the whole thing merged into the Animation-Comic-Game convention we know today.
The scale now is huge. Spread across two halls of the Convention Centre, it pulls in hundreds of thousands of visitors over its five days, making it one of Hong Kong's best-attended events of any kind. Part trade fair, part fan pilgrimage, part fashion parade, it is where the city's manga readers, gamers, figure collectors and cosplayers all show up at once.
For an expat, it is also one of the best windows into a side of Hong Kong that the skyline-and-dim-sum brochures never show you. The fandom here is serious, creative and welcoming — and the cosplay easily rivals anything in Tokyo or Seoul.
When is Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong 2026?
The 27th ACGHK is set for Friday 24 to Tuesday 28 July 2026, once again at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (香港會議展覽中心) in Wan Chai. Doors have typically opened at 10am and closed at 9pm, with an earlier 8pm finish on the final day. It lands neatly in the back half of the school summer holidays, which is exactly why it gets so busy.
Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong 2026 — Key Facts
Dates, hours and prices above are based on current event listings and the 2025 edition; the organiser confirms the final 2026 timetable on ani-com.hk closer to the show. Always check before you book travel.
Before You Book
At the time of writing, the organiser's site was still showing 2025 details, so treat the 24–28 July 2026 dates as expected rather than locked. In recent years tickets have been sold in advance only — there is no booth at the door — so buy through the official channels on ani-com.hk, and ignore inflated "last-minute" tickets from resellers on social media. You can also cross-check the dates on the Hong Kong Tourism Board events calendar.
What's on across the halls
ACGHK isn't a single show so much as a dozen of them crammed under one roof. Here's how the chaos breaks down.
Cosplay, everywhere
The cosplay is the headline act, even if it isn't ticketed as one. Expect elaborate competitions, the long-running CosParadise and Cosplay Together meet-ups, and photo zones where the city's best costumiers pose for a wall of phone cameras. You don't need a costume to enjoy it — half the fun is just watching the craft on display. If you do dress up, be ready to stop every few metres for photos.
Booths, figures & convention-only merch
Commercially, this is the engine room. Hundreds of exhibitor booths sell manga, video games, trading cards, plush and rank upon rank of collectible figures. The real draw is the convention-exclusive merchandise — limited figures, art books and apparel you genuinely can't buy anywhere else, which is why the most coveted stalls draw queues of their own before opening.
Designer toys & the doujin scene
Two corners reward slower browsing. The Elefunpop Art & Toy Show gathers designer art-toy makers from across Asia and beyond, blurring the line between collectible and gallery piece. Nearby, the doujin (self-published comics) area in Hall 3 is where independent Hong Kong artists sell their own zines, prints and original characters — the grassroots heart of the whole thing.
Stages, guests & competitions
The main stage runs a non-stop bill of guest appearances, voice-actor sessions, idol audition heats, dance showcases and prize draws. Look out too for the long-running Hong Kong Original Character Design Competition and the Manhuami Chinese-language comics contest — proof the event still takes home-grown creativity seriously.
The ACGHK Hit List
- Cosplay competitions & CosParadise — the city's best costumes, on stage and in the photo zones.
- Convention-exclusive merch — limited figures, art books and apparel you can't get elsewhere.
- Elefunpop Art & Toy Show — designer art toys from Hong Kong, China, Korea and beyond.
- Doujin area — self-published comics and original art from local creators.
- Main stage — guest appearances, voice actors, idol heats and giveaways.
- Game zones — hands-on demos of new and upcoming titles.
How much does it cost?
ACGHK is one of the better-value days out in town. In recent editions, standard admission has sat around HK$45, with discounted advance e-tickets from roughly HK$20 for early birds and concession holders. Children's tickets are cheaper again, and one admission covers both halls.
The important practical point: in recent years tickets have been sold in advance only, with no on-the-day booth. You buy a timed or dated e-ticket through the official channels listed on the ACGHK site, scan in, and you're away. Final 2026 prices land closer to the show, so check the official site rather than trusting a number from a forum.
| Ticket (recent editions) | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Standard admission (adult) | ~HK$45 |
| Advance / early-bird e-ticket | From ~HK$20 |
| Child / concession | Reduced (confirm on official site) |
| On-the-day booth | Not available — buy ahead |
How do you get to the Convention Centre by MTR?
Take the train — parking around Wan Chai during ACGHK is a lost cause. The quickest route is the East Rail Line to Exhibition Centre Station (會展): leave by Exit B3 and the Convention Centre is about a five-minute walk. The station opened in 2022 and was practically built for days like this.
Alternatively, ride the Island Line to Wan Chai Station (灣仔), take Exit A1 or A5, and follow the covered Convention Centre footbridge for roughly 10 to 15 minutes — fully sheltered, which matters in July when it's either 33°C or pouring. From Tsim Sha Tsui, the Star Ferry to Wan Chai pier is a scenic 10-minute walk away too.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
How to survive the con (Edison's plan)
ACGHK is brilliant, but it is not gentle. On a peak Saturday the halls move at a shuffle, the limited merch sells out by lunchtime, and the heat outside is brutal. A little planning turns a sweaty slog into a great day.
Edison's Survival Plan
- Go on a weekday. The Friday and Monday/Tuesday sessions are far calmer than the weekend crush.
- Buy ahead. Tickets are advance-only — sort them the week before, not on the morning.
- Arrive at opening. If you're chasing limited figures or exclusive merch, the queue forms before 10am for a reason.
- Bring cash and a tote. Some booths are cash-first, and you'll want somewhere to stash the haul.
- Dress light, pack water. It's air-conditioned inside but a furnace in the queue. Hydrate.
- Ask before you photograph cosplayers. They almost always say yes — but asking is the etiquette.
Make a full day of it. ACGHK falls right in the thick of the summer season, so it slots neatly into a bigger plan — see our guide to the biggest events in Hong Kong this summer and our weekly round-up of the best things to do in Hong Kong this week. Going with kids? Pair it with our best kid-friendly things to do in Hong Kong. For more of the city's creative side, our street-art walking guide is a great follow-up, and if your visit lands on a holiday, see what to do in Hong Kong this long weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan Your Hong Kong Summer
From convention-hall cosplay to harbour-side festivals, YumChaNow tracks the season's best days out — start with our summer events guide.