What is Ai-Kon?

Ai-Kon is a Japanese anime and pop culture convention held annually in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The convention is a three-day event held in the summer and runs 24 hours a day from Friday morning all the way to Sunday afternoon!

This three-day event is hosted out of the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre, which is easily accessible to our attendees in beautiful downtown Winnipeg.

Ai-Kon features an impressive cosplay contest, 24 hour anime screenings, competitive video game tournaments, interactive fan-hosted panels, a Maid Cafe, and a sprawling marketplace for vendors and artists. Aside from our focus on Japanese animation and pop culture, Ai-Kon has branched off to include other events and activities that have varying amounts of overlap with our attendees’ interests.

Thanks to the diverse range of anime fans, organizations, and clubs in the area, Ai-Kon has been able to host panels and other events covering everything from Japanese Tea Ceremony, Aikido demonstrations, to panels discussing the finer points of ball-jointed dolls. There is always something new and compelling each year for all our attendees. The continued support from the Winnipeg community is appreciated!

Young or old, first time or seasoned con-goer, Ai-Kon has something to offer to everyone!

Who are we?

Ai-Kon is organized by an independent board of volunteers who are dedicated to making the convention a memorable time for all who attend. It is organized by over 70 dedicated individuals and over 200 hundred volunteers in July. There are no salaries and every dime is reinvested.

Where did it start?

Back in 2001, Ai-Kon first started as an open-house event organized and run by the University of Manitoba Anime Club. This upstart convention grew into a popular bi-annual event that brings together anime fans of all sorts from across Canada and even across-border!