I may have survived GalaxyCon but my feet took a beating after 20,000 steps. Here’s everything that happened and why GalaxyCon Raleigh 2026 was four days of pure pop culture chaos, (in the best way).
There is a certain energy that only exists at conventions.
It starts before you ever walk through the doors. You spot Spider-Man grabbing coffee next to Ghostface. A Jedi politely holding the elevator for Batman. Someone wearing an incredibly accurate Fallout power armor poses for photos while families carrying bags full of comic books weave through the crowd. Before long, reality fades into the background, replaced by a shared understanding that for one weekend, everyone is here because they love stories.
That is exactly what GalaxyCon Raleigh has become.
Held at the Raleigh Convention Center in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, GalaxyCon has evolved into one of the country’s premier fan conventions, welcoming tens of thousands of attendees each year for a celebration of film, television, animation, comic books, gaming, wrestling, cosplay and the creators behind them. Since launching in 2006, GalaxyCon has expanded into multiple cities across the United States while staying true to its mission of creating events where fans can genuinely connect with the people and communities they admire.
After spending four full days covering this year’s convention, one thing became abundantly clear. GalaxyCon is no longer simply a convention. It is an annual reunion for people who refuse to lose their dinosaur.
A Convention Built Around Fans
Every convention promises celebrity guests. GalaxyCon always delivers on that front.
This year’s guest list included actors from beloved horror franchises, Hollywood blockbusters, cult classics, anime, professional wrestling, children’s television and award-winning filmmaking. Throughout the weekend, thousands of fans packed panel rooms to hear behind-the-scenes stories, ask questions and relive the moments that made these performers a part of their lives.
But what separates GalaxyCon from many entertainment conventions is that celebrities are only one piece of the experience.
Artist Alley remains one of the busiest destinations throughout the weekend, filled with independent illustrators, one of whom I cannot wait to share, writers, comic book creators and craftspeople selling work that cannot be found in big box stores. Vendors stretched across the exhibit hall with everything from vintage toys and graded comic books to handmade jewelry, collectible trading cards, horror memorabilia, retro video games and enough Funko Pops to fill an entire warehouse.
No matter how specific your interests are, chances are someone at GalaxyCon shares them.
That is part of the magic.
Cosplay Is the Heartbeat of GalaxyCon
While celebrity panels often make the headlines, cosplay remains the heartbeat of GalaxyCon.
Months of planning, sewing, painting, sculpting and problem-solving walk through the convention doors every morning. This Five Nights at Freddy’s duo shared it took them TWO YEARS to build these insanely accurate and wicked cool costumes.
Some costumes looked as though they had stepped directly off a Hollywood film set. Others were clever mashups that combined multiple fandoms into something completely original. Parents dressed alongside their ckids. Friend groups coordinated elaborate ensemble costumes. Professional cosplay photographers lined up with attendees eager to showcase the countless hours they had poured into every detail.
What stands out most isn’t simply the craftsmanship.
It’s the encouragement.
Strangers compliment each other’s costumes without hesitation. Experienced builders happily explain techniques to newcomers. Complete conversations begin with nothing more than, “Can I take your picture?”
In a world that often feels divided, conventions continue to prove that shared passions have an incredible ability to bring people together.
The Panels Were About More Than Promotion
Walking into a celebrity panel expecting promotional talking points usually means you’re in for a surprise. The best conversations happened when guests drifted away from rehearsed stories and simply talked.Some reflected on careers that have stretched across decades. Others shared lessons learned from failure, unexpected auditions or the relationships they’ve built with fellow cast members.
There were stories that had audiences roaring with laughter, quiet moments that caught entire rooms off guard and reminders that even the people we know through iconic characters are, at the end of the day, just people navigating careers and life like the rest of us.
That authenticity is what separates a memorable panel from a forgettable one. GalaxyCon had no shortage of memorable conversations.
Steve Burns Delivered the Weekend’s Most Unexpected and Powerful Moment
Every convention has a moment that sticks with you long after the crowds disappear and the booths are packed away. For me, that moment started at Steve Burns’ table.
I met Burns while getting a press photo and, because apparently my orange glasses have become their own personality trait, he immediately complimented them. That small interaction turned into one of those unexpected convention moments that reminds you why meeting the people behind the characters matters.
I asked him a simple question: If he could leave millennials with one message right now, what would it be?
His reaction was completely genuine.
“Oh my god, that’s a great question,” he said. He paused. “Hmmm…” Then he answered with one word. “Empathy.”
It was brief, but it stuck.
The following day, I caught Steve Burns’ Q&A, and he expanded on so many stories that showed exactly why generations of fans still feel such a connection to him. Of course, the nostalgia of Blue’s Clues was everywhere, but Burns wasn’t just there to revisit the past. He was there to talk about the journey, the challenges, and the strange twists that shaped one of the most beloved children’s television personalities of a generation.
One of the wildest stories he shared was that Nickelodeon initially wasn’t interested in him. The network was reportedly looking for someone more “conventionally handsome,” which feels not only weird for a kids’ show, but almost impossible to believe considering how perfectly Burns’ authenticity became the entire point of Steve.
What made Steve work was never about being the typical television host. It was about being approachable, sincere and willing to talk directly to kids like they mattered. The exact qualities that made him stand out were the same qualities that eventually made millions of viewers connect with him.
Burns also talked about how he approached the famous moments of breaking the fourth wall, including channeling the feeling of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off during the end of his Blue’s Clues run. Much like Ferris looking at the audience and asking, “You’re still here?” Burns played with that same idea of acknowledging the viewers who had grown up alongside him.
It was a clever nod, but it was also deeply fitting. The kids who once watched Steve sit on that iconic thinking chair, which yes he owns the original thinking chair, were no longer kids. They were adults, many of whom were standing in a convention hall decades later, still carrying the comfort and connection that show gave them.
Every Fandom Had a Place
One of the most impressive aspects of GalaxyCon is how effortlessly different fandoms coexist.
Horror fans packed the Scream panel to hear stories from one of cinema’s most beloved franchises. Anime fans filled seats for conversations celebrating One Piece. Film lovers gathered to hear acclaimed director Edgar Wright discuss filmmaking, while wrestling fans eagerly lined up to meet legends who helped define entire eras inside the ring.
There is no “main” fandom at GalaxyCon.
For one weekend, they all belong.
That variety creates an atmosphere unlike almost anywhere else. Walking from one room to another might take you from a discussion about practical horror effects to a panel on anime voice acting before ending at an independent author’s booth promoting their latest book.
It is impossible to experience everything.
That’s exactly why so many attendees come back year after year.
One Unexpected Moment Captured Everything Great About Conventions
One of our favorite moments happened away from the stage. While meeting actor David Arquette, I handed him something he wasn’t expecting: an unopened pack of 1994 Bozo the Clown trading cards.
For those of you scratching your heads right now, David bought the licensing rights for Bozo from Larry Harmon Pictures a few years ago. He once said “Bozo represents a world of love, light, and laughter—something we can all use more of right now.”
His reaction was immediate. “Oh my God. I’ve never seen these before.” He laughed, opened the pack right there and started flipping through the cards with genuine excitement. His agent and handlers watched in awe and were smiling as hard as I was. We all felt that light in that moment.
For a few minutes, David Arquette wasn’t promoting a film or posing for another convention photo. He was simply enjoying a surprise from his childhood, just like any other fan. That moment perfectly captured what conventions are really about. Human to human connections.
The Stories Are Just Beginning
Over the coming weeks, The Yapper Gazette will dive much deeper into the conversations that made GalaxyCon Raleigh unforgettable.
I’ll be sharing exclusive interviews, full panel coverage and behind-the-scenes stories featuring Steve Burns, Karl Urban, David Arquette, Gangrel, Edgar Wright, the cast of One Piece, the stars of Scream and more from across the convention floor.
Each story deserves more than a few paragraphs in a convention recap, and we’re excited to tell them. If this was your first visit to The Yapper Gazette, welcome. We cover the people, moments and conversations that make entertainment worth talking about.
Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on YouTube for exclusive interviews and bookmark our growing GalaxyCon coverage. Whether you’re reliving the weekend or experiencing it for the first time, we’ve got plenty more stories to share from one of the biggest celebrations of pop culture in the Southeast.
You can purchase tickets, explore the complete schedule, view celebrity guests, reserve photo ops and autographs, and learn more about upcoming GalaxyCon events by visiting the official GalaxyCon website.
I’ll see you on the convention floor.
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