C2E2 shines with Pride in 2026

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, or C2E2, is a three-day pop culture event held at McCormick Place in the Windy City. Over 100,00 fans converged at the convention center on March 27, 28 and 29 in 2026 for the experience.

Many attendees traveled from far-off regions to meet celebrity guests and observe panel discussions throughout the venue.

Artists and creatives signed their work, including Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir, who had a massive line snaking down the room on Sunday. Nearby queer fantasy writer Ian Haramaki met readers and sold a variety of products, including stickers and keychains.

One set up that stood out from the rest of the pack was the robotic duo The Adventures of Sunset & Meteor from mascotcomics.com.

Along the parameter, stars from the world of entertainment posed for photographs and signed memorabilia for an extra charge. Marvel's current Scarlet Witch, Elizabeth Olsen, joined other heroes like the casts of Daredevil and Fantastic Four to meet up with comic book enthusiasts.

Saturday is always a busy time for the expo with a massive costume contest. Prince of Snark Cosplay won the Global Cosplay Central Crown Championship and he will travel to London for the Global Finals.

To escape the madness, the Pride Lounge, presented by CMSAeSports.com, offered a respite on level five. The LGBTQ+ community could network and play games in a safe space. Trans Up Front Illinois partnered with the organizers of the lounge to offer resources and information for those needing support. C2E2 posted antibullying signs in multiple locations as reminders and all gender bathrooms were secured on-site. The Pride Lounge was bigger than ever this year and is expected to flourish even more in 2027.

For this year, the Main Stage was constructed near the Main Entrance for easy access at the front. To pick up badges on the third floor, guests had to walk through metal detectors and have their bags checked for the safety of the patrons to advance to will-call.

The show floor was curated with merchandise booths, a food court and photographic pop-up opportunities. For those into gaming and faux fighting, there were designated areas to explore.

There was even an area to donate at Heartland Blood Centers' C2E2 Blood Drive while at the pop culture convention.

The largest pop culture event in the Midwest continues to evolve and grow in leaps and bounds. Faster than a speeding bullet and able to fill up buildings in a single weekend, C2E2 deserves accolades for creating a large-scale event annually in the Windy City.

Save the dates for next year's festivities, April 30-May 2, 2027 and stay tuned to c2E2.com.