Strange-Con
Even if we've never been and/or have no interest in going, most of us know about Comic-Con and CES. These are huge conventions that see massive attendance numbers and media coverage. But did you know there are a lot more conventions out there, focused on all kinds of subjects and interests you never even considered? Like...
Lin-Con (The Association Of Lincoln Presenters)
Grow a beard, throw on your stovepipe hat and come celebrate America's 16th President.
Jim Hickcox, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
BronyCon
While a convention dedicated to LeBron James' son would be weird, BronyCon is even more surprising. Not so much that it's a convention in celebration of the My Little Pony TV franchise—but that one of the largest groups that attend these BronyCons are 18-35-year-old men.
Keith Survell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
ALCON
The "AL" in ALCON is for Weird Al Yankovic. Yup, this two-day event is a celebration of the greatest song parodist of all time—and the man himself has even been known to show up and sign autographs.
Luke Harold, Wikimedia Commons
World Clown Association Convention
This celebration of everything clowns takes place in different locations every year—in 2019 it was in New Mexico and in 2017 it was in Thailand. Anyone with coulrophobia should obviously avoid this convention, wherever it may be.
Sunshine State Eggfest
Tricked you–this isn't a festival about eggs, but rather a celebration of that much beloved barbecue grill, the Big Green Egg. If you don't have one then it might seem odd, but if you do then there's a good chance you understand what all the fuss is about.
Sideshow Convention
The carnival sideshow is a classic piece of Americana—and one that people gather to celebrate every year in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
MicroCon
Microphones, microwaves, microscopes....nope. Microcon is all about micronations. Started by the small self-declared nation of Molossia, this micro-convention is a place for delegates of other micronations to come and share their thoughts.
LuxorCZ, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
AnthroCon
While AnthroCon might not ring any bells, maybe "furries" does? People who like to play and socialize while dressed up as anthropomorphic animals have been gathering at AnthroCon every year since 1997.
Douglas Muth, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Vent Haven ConVENTion
Just so you know—in honor of this ConVENTion—our lips aren't moving as we tell you about this ventriloquist meetup that takes place every year in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Lebowski Fest
Dudes everywhere abide by this yearly celebration of the Coen Brothers' cult classic.
Twins Day Festival
Every year since 1976 in Twinsburg, Ohio, biological twins from across the country and the world gather to celebrate twin-ness. It's actually the largest assembly of twins on earth.
Kenneth Sponsler, Shutterstock
BlobFest
Yup, the 1958 sci-fi flick is what people come to BlobFest to celebrate.
PorcFest
This isn't a place for pig lovers. And although it's called The Porcupine Freedom Festival, it isn't dedicated to those who love the prickly animals. No, this week-long camping event in New Hampshire every year is a libertarian's dream—where other similarly-minded folks gather to celebrate their freedom, liberty, and freedom of speech.
FreeStateProjectNH, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
MerFest
MerFest attendees don't just love mermaids—they love being mermaids. This means costumes that include the iconic mermaid tails (which some have been known to spend thousands of dollars on). There are workshops to help you get better at holding your breath under water.
Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Elvis Festivals
There are a whole bunch of festivals and conventions dedicated to the king.
World Toilet Summit & Expo
We didn't do it on purpose—bringing up toilets right after talking about Elvis—but here we are. Backed by the World Toilet Organization, this convention takes place in different countries around the world and is—to quote the website—"the primary toilet-based and sanitation-driven conference in the world".
SuSanA Secretariat, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
International UFO Congress
Held every year in Laughlin, Nevada, the International UFO Congress is the largest UFO conference in the world—says the Guinness Book of World Records.
SMG2019, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
International Cake Exploration Societé Convention
The ICES takes their dedication to the "sugar arts" seriously and their annual convention brings together thousands of sugar artists from across the planet. They even have an on-site cake hospital where botched cakes can get the help they need.
World Taxidermy Championships
Thousands of taxidermy experts and enthusiasts gather in Springfield to talk and share and learn taxidermy. It's also a great place to pick up fake fur, fake eyes, and molds for all your taxidermy needs.
Barbershop Quartet Convention
Exactly what it sounds like.
U.S. Navy photo, Wikimedia Commons
The Sunburst Convention Of Celebrity Impersonators
Orlando, Florida hosts celebrity impersonators every year and features talent showcases where the look-a-likes can show off their impersonation skills.
Celebrity Impersonators Convention
Not to be outdone, Las Vegas also holds an annual gathering of impersonators.
Library of Congress Collection, Picryl
ScareFest Horror And Paranormal Convention
Extend your Halloween celebrations for three days at the end of October or early November in Lexington, Kentucky.
Wizard Of Oz Festival
It's called the Wizard of Oz Festival, but as much as it is a celebration of said film, it is even more focused on the woman at the center of it all—the iconic Judy Garland.
TattooFest
This gathering of tattoo artists and tattoo lovers takes place every year in Tampa Bay, USA and in Krakow, Poland.
Redhead Days Festival
The original festival of redheads began in the Netherlands in 2005. But a while back, Chicago took up the mantle in the United States and began their own celebration of gingers.
Paper Dolls Convention
This convention is no paper tiger.
pilllpat, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Tiki Oasis
The largest Tiki event in the world, Tiki Oasis "is a five-night, four-day live music event, including pool lounging, fashion shows, swanky suites, sunset dinners, disc jockeys, art exhibits, educational seminars, a bustling Tiki Marketplace, wedding options, tropical cocktails curated by top mixologists, and more!"
Xena: Warrior Princess Convention
The show went off the air in 2001—and yet, there are still enough devoted fans of the series to warrant a convention.
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