Kawaii Kon draws thousands to Waikiki for arts, crafts and community
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Thousands of anime lovers are spending the weekend at the Waikiki Convention Center to celebrate all things Asian.Eager attendees waited over an hour and wasted no time flooding into the exhibit hall to browse a wide variety of crafts and art.The convention not only offers fans a space to dress up but also a sense of community.“I’d say it’s really close-knit, everyone’s really welcoming. It’s really fun getting to like dress up, learn each other’s interests and stuff,” said attendee Tyler-Roy Gascon-Vea.“We like all the artists that come here, towards this side. They have a lot of cool merch,” said Marc Nunez.The event spans several floors with activities for fans of every interest, including art auctions, cosplay contests, anime premieres, video and tabletop tournaments, autographs, and panels.For many attending, cosplaying can be a fun way to bring their favorite characters to life. It’s also a way to connect with others.“Honestly, it’s very positive, it’s really easy to make friends, especially when you see other people in like similar cosplays or just characters you know and love,” said cosplayer MJ Deguzman.“Everyone’s cosplay is just so unique, and I love to see like everyone’s creativity, especially with physical and like wearable things. I think it’s just you can tell the love and the passion that they put into the costumes,” Deguzman added.Although only one day remains, there are still many activities, including shopping, panel discussions, and music performances.A full list of Sunday’s schedule can be found online here.Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
