Youmacon pop culture convention in downtown Detroit is still a go — for now

Kaleb A. Brown
Detroit Free Press
Cosplay, or costume play, is a key part of Youmacon. The event drew more than 22,000 in 2017.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of many of southeastern Michigan's signature events, the annual Youmacon pop culture gathering is still a go.

Held on the first weekend of November, the four-day event focuses on video games, anime (Japanese animation) and manga (Japanese comic books). Fans from across the country gather to shop, attend presentations and meet celebrities. Some dress as their favorite characters. Since 2013, Youmacon has been held at the TCF Center in conjunction with the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.

Since its inception in 2004, Youmacon has grown to become the third-largest anime convention in the Midwest. It drew 22,142 attendees in 2017.   

In a March Facebook post, Youmacon announced its plans to proceed with the 2020 convention. Since then, organizers have uploaded applications for vendors and panel speakers. A July 16 post on Facebook said a link for securing hotel rooms at the Marriott would be available soon. As of Monday, the link was not available.

Youmacon spokesman Trevor Cuba said the decision to proceed with the 2020 event wasn't made lightly. "We are contractually required to meet certain longstanding obligations to our venues, partners and other businesses that heavily depend on the convention running," he said.

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, which provides hotel rooms and event space for Youmacon, has no plans to cancel its arrangement with the convention, a representative said. However, the Marriott, which has been closely following Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's orders regarding public gatherings, won't be able to provide meeting spaces for groups of more than 10, the representative said. Mary Klida, TCF Center’s senior marketing and communications manager, similarly said that the size of events TCF hosts will depend on the governor’s orders.

Cuba said that because of the changing regulations, Youmacon organizers won't have an idea of the group size limits until closer to the convention date. As of now, they're planning on limiting the number of people allowed in a given area instead of limiting the number of attendees for the entire event.

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The reaction to Youmacon's decision to proceed with its 2020 edition has been mixed on the event's Facebook page. Many fans say they won't be attending this year because of fears about COVID-19.

"The safety of our attendees, vendors, and crew is our No. 1 priority," Cuba said. Tables and chairs will be spaced appropriately far apart, and lines will be minimized, he said. The lines that remain will require people to stand 6 feet apart, and all attendees will be required to wear masks.

In the event that Youmacon is canceled between now and November, there are plans for a virtual convention, organizers say.

Kaleb A. Brown is a reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at kabrown@freepress.com.