This October, get ready to celebrate Hip-Hop, anime, and Black culture at Atlanta’s coolest anime convention: Atlanime Fest! Back for its second year, this year’s festival will be 4x bigger, expanding from their single-day event to a long weekend fest! Keep scrolling for all the details!
What is Atlanime Fest?
Atlanime Fest is a massive celebration of Black identity & expression through anime, right here in the ATL.
Atlanime Fest said in a statement,
For a generation of Black fans raised on Dragon Ball Z, Naruto and Atlanta rap, anime was never just something they watched. It shaped how they dress, how they talk and the music they make. Atlanime Fest puts that culture on the main stage: cosplay next to streetwear, anime openings next to trap beats, and Black artists, animators and creators telling the story themselves. It’s a space built by the community it serves, in the city that has shaped hip-hop for decades.
Last year, the inaugural Atlanime Fest drew a crowd of 3,500+ fans to Center Parc Stadium… this year, the now 4-day festival is expected to bring even more fans out!
What can festival-goers expect at Atlanime Fest?
Elijah Watkins, CMO and Managing Partner of Atlanime Fest, said in a statement,
Year two is about scale and representation. We’re putting Black animators who have worked on some of the biggest titles in anime in front of the next generation. We’re investing in creators through our Content Creator Incubator. And we’re bringing fashion, gaming, music and sports into one weekend. Atlanta is the Southern destination where urban music and anime collide, and we want the whole country to know it.
There are so many amazing things to expect at Atlanime Fest, from stunning musical performances & all your favorite hip-hop artists, DJs, and comedy events, to cool panels & cosplay fun!
New 2026 highlights include:
- Black Animators Panel. Animators whose credits include Jujutsu Kaisen, MAPPA productions and NieR:Automata talk about their careers, the industry and the path in for Black artists.
- No Spoilers Live. A live podcast taping with Slim Jxmmi and Troop Brand.
- The Fashion Arc. A streetwear-meets-anime fashion show with a head-to-head designer face-off, with brands flying in from Japan and China
- Celebrity Soccer Game. A Sunday community-day matchup at Underground Atlanta.
- The Content Creator Incubator. More than 300 creators applied and 100 were accepted. Ten were selected for two-on-one mentorship with five established creators: OmgItsNikeFinesse, MyMySenpai, ItsAndrewz, Will6lake and Ssblayze.
Atlanime Fest weekend schedule breakdown
- Thursday, October 15: Opening Night
- Gaming Tournament + Mixer, 7–11 p.m., Monday Night Garage
- Friday, October 16: Panels + Culture Night (all at Monday Night Garage)
- Black Animators Panel, 1–2 p.m.
- No Spoilers Live with Slim Jxmmi and Troop Brand, 2:15–3:15 p.m.
- Content Creators Panel, 3:30–4:30 p.m.
- The Fashion Arc fashion show, 5:30–9:30 p.m.
- Saturday, October 17: Main Day
- Atlanime Fest, 1–8 p.m., Underground Atlanta (50 Upper Alabama St.). Hosted by Funny Marco and Pudgieee, the main stage runs all day, alongside esports, the Naruto Training Arc, a car show by OKQ, a vendor hall, food, an anime nail salon and more.
- Sunday, October 18: Community Day
- Celebrity Soccer Game, 2–4 p.m., Underground Atlanta
- Closing Day Party, 5–9 p.m., Monday Night, West Midtown
Okay, I’ve gotta check this out! Details, please!
When: October 15th – 18th, 2026
Where: Underground Atlanta and Monday Night Garage
Learn more & snag your tickets on Atlanime’s website, here!
Don’t miss out on all the fun, Atlanta! Head to Atlanime Fest this October for all the fun.