KEY TAKEAWAYS: GalaxyCon will return to New Orleans July 10-12 after a successful inaugural event in 2025. Organizers expect thousands of attendees from Louisiana and across the Gulf South. Featured guests include William Shatner, Kevin Smith, Sam Raimi, Danny Glover, Pam Grier and Lou Ferrign o. The convention is expected to boost local tourism and hospitality businesses while expanding New Orleans’ convention calendar.   GalaxyCon is returning to New Orleans this summer after organizers reported a strong turnout during the event’s inaugural appearance in the city last year. The pop culture convention will take place July 10-12 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, bringing celebrity guests, comic creators, professional wrestlers, voice actors and cosplay enthusiasts together for a three-day event expected to draw thousands of attendees from across Louisiana and the Gulf South. GalaxyCon, a Florida-based fan engagement and events company, said attendance at its 2025 debut in New Orleans exceeded expectations and helped establish the city as one of the organization’s most successful convention markets. “We were blown away by the response we received for our inaugural show last year,” said Mike Broder, founder and president of GalaxyCon. “We had faith New Orleans would show up in a big way for our unique brand of fandom convention, and we were so happy to see the camaraderie, enthusiasm, and creativity endemic to the GalaxyCon brand.” The company is expanding this year’s event with a larger lineup of celebrity appearances, fan panels, entertainment programming and exhibits. Among the featured guests are actor William Shatner of the Star Trek franchise, filmmaker Kevin Smith, Spider-Man director Sam Raimi, actors Danny Glover, Pam Grier and Lou Ferrigno, and performers from franchises including Star Wars, Twilight, The Walking Dead, Teen Wolf, WWE and AEW. The convention will also feature dozens of comic book creators, voice actors and cosplay personalities, along with live entertainment and fan-focused programming throughout the weekend. Tickets are currently on sale, with children ages 9 and younger admitted free with a paid adult ticket. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, GalaxyCon describes itself as the largest independently owned consumer and fan engagement company in the United States. The company operates pop culture, anime and horror-themed conventions in multiple markets nationwide, including Oklahoma City, Raleigh, Columbus, Richmond and San Jose. According to the company, its events typically attract between 20,000 and 50,000 attendees per show. The return of GalaxyCon adds another major convention to New Orleans’ event calendar, providing an economic boost for local hotels, restaurants and tourism-related businesses while reinforcing the city’s position as a destination for large-scale entertainment and fan conventions. ...read more read less