The annual Twin Cities Con took place in downtown Minneapolis from Nov. 7 to 9, 2025, attracting fans from Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, and beyond.
With busy artist aisles and crowded panels, the convention has grown significantly since its inception in 2020, underscoring its role as a vital space for local creators and fans.
Attendees described the weekend as a celebration of stories, characters, and art that unite the fandom culture in the Metropolis of the North.
Patrick Sullivan and George Frederick shared their experiences at Twin Cities Con while selling a vast collection of comics.
Sullivan’s booth featured collectible comic books spanning roughly the last 50 years, with a focus on more affordable items that fans like to collect.
While Sullivan did not run a store himself, he acted as a consultant for a community-owned comic book store, Tales of Adventure in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania.
Sullivan said he made the annual trek to the convention as a friend of the show’s organizer, marking his third year attending.
“These little conventions are great,” Sullivan said. “The best possible weekend would be one where I sell a bunch of stuff out of these boxes and get a phone number for somebody who has a nice collection they’re looking to sell.”
Frederick helped out at the event, assisting with setup and operations. He described the convention as a valuable opportunity to meet other collectors and fans.
“It’s a good networking event,” Frederick said.
Both men talked about how their fandom began. Sullivan recalled discovering G.I. Joe comics in the early 1980s.
“That got a lot of kids into comics at the time, and for me, it stuck,” Sullivan said.
Frederick’s interest started with a fan favorite of the Daily Planet, Superman, as a child, and was reignited during the “Death of Superman” storyline.
“From there, it’s been anything from comics to collectibles, and it hasn’t stopped since,” Frederick said.
When asked about their experience at the convention, Sullivan noted that the event felt a bit slower than the previous year but said, “Otherwise it’s been great. The weather’s been on our side, and I had a nice trip.”
Frederick highlighted reconnecting with old acquaintances and meeting new fans, including international visitors.
“People are super friendly,” Frederick said.
Jesus Ríos and Silas Ekblad shared their first impressions of Twin Cities Con.
Ríos, originally from California but now living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, said, “It’s my first con. It’s pretty fun. Just a bunch of nerds getting together. It’s pretty sick.”
Ekblad, also from Eau Claire, described the convention as a place to connect with like-minded fans.
“There’s a bunch of stuff that I’m really interested in, so it’s really great to see everyone having the same interest as me,” Ekblad said.
Both attendees, along with their friend Mason Gruber, who didn’t want to be interviewed, were enjoying the atmosphere and the variety of costumes.
Ríos notably wore the first Superman costume I spotted that day, while Ekblad explained his own choice to dress as Nintendo’s Mario.
“For Halloween, my little brother dressed up as Bowser, so I matched him up,” Ekblad explained.
Neither attendee had particular panels to attend, opting to explore the convention and discover what it offered instead. They both described it as an enjoyable introduction to the larger fan community at Twin Cities Con.
Peyton Frei and William Patterson also shared their enthusiasm for cosplay at Twin Cities Con. Frei, who dressed as Spawn with chains and full LED effects, explained that creating his costume involved repainting, adding LEDs, and making props.
“I did the easy work [by adding LEDs], superhero concepts on Instagram did the hard work,” Frei said. “Putting it on is a process—a two-person job.”
Patterson, cosplaying as Springtrap from the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” series, noted that his costume was still a work in progress.
“This one was made by Spooky Steve, Cosplay Me on Instagram. It’s a commission, but I’m doing my own adjustments here to match the look I wanted,” Patterson said.
Patterson added that assembling the costume involved layering overalls and spring locks, and he traveled from Wisconsin to attend the convention. Both emphasized how much they value the experience of displaying their work and connecting with fans.
“The biggest thing when I first went to a con, I felt like people really appreciated you,” Frei reflected. “They’d say, ‘You look great,’ and it really amplifies your mood.”
“I love dressing up, and I wish there were more events closer to home,” Patterson added. “Minnesota Comic-Cons are some of the biggest and best, so we come here multiple times a year just to experience them.”
Beyond cosplay, Patterson attended panels and met members of the “Death Note” cast, collecting autographs and enjoying the opportunity to engage with performers. Both agreed that the local setting and friendly atmosphere made Twin Cities Con a special event.
Shannon and Timothy Mandeville of Minneapolis agreed that Twin Cities Con was special as they shared their experiences. The partners said they appreciated having a convention close to home.
“It’s amazing,” Shannon said.
Both attended to meet celebrities and collect autographs. Timothy said he had a lightsaber signed by Giancarlo Esposito, while Shannon visited the convention the previous day to see Rosario Dawson and Iman.
The Mandevilles noted that the convention felt larger and more diverse than in previous years.
“I feel like there’s a lot more stuff here than there was last year,” Timothy said. “I heard it’s like tripled in size. A lot bigger, a lot more food options. Much better this year.”
When asked about potential improvements, Shannon suggested adding more panels.
“Maybe some more panels—not so obscure ones,” she said, emphasizing their enthusiasm for seeing additional programming.
Overall, the pair described the event as fun and well-organized, highlighting the convenience of having a major fan convention in their own city.
Amy Morris, Nina Zelinski, and Cassandra Everett attended Twin Cities Con both as fans and vendors. Morris and Zelinski traveled from Boston, while Everett is local to Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
The trio primarily came to meet the cast of “The Mummy,” but Everett also ran a booth featuring a variety of handmade items, including machine embroidery, resin pieces, 3D-printed goods, crocheted items, and jewelry.
“It’s like a lot of happy people, all here for similar interests,” Morris said, reflecting on the atmosphere of the convention. “I’ve met some of my best friends at conventions. We travel together and stay in contact—conventions just mean a lot to me.”
“The appreciation from fandom and the amount of compliments people give is amazing,” Zelinski added. “You see the time and effort people put into this, whether it’s full-time or a side passion. You just walk away feeling so happy.”
Everett, who only met the two other women the night before, highlighted the value of Twin Cities Con for vendors.
“It’s kind of awesome to have these popular guests coming and bringing new friends to the convention,” Everett said. “Last year, people traveled from across the country, like Oregon, just to get here. It’s neat that so many look forward to coming to our con in Minnesota.”
All three noted the convention’s welcoming environment and friendly attendees, with Morris describing Minneapolis as “friendly” despite not exploring much outside the convention center.
Leah Huddleston expanded on the welcoming environment as a vendor herself, known online as Leah Doodles, and shared her experiences at Twin Cities Con. Originally from Indiana, Huddleston traveled to Minneapolis for the event and showcased a booth full of her fan art.
“I always strive to have really clean and bold art,” Huddleston said, noting that she draws inspiration from the graphic style of vintage advertisements, like those on cereal boxes or children’s toys. “I just love that bold art that sticks out, looks like you can peel it off the page and put it anywhere. That’s my vibe.”
While Huddleston had participated in Twin Cities Con in the past alongside a friend, this was her first year physically attending the event.
“I always love Midwestern cons,” Huddleston said. “The people here are really great, really personable.”
Wendy Smith, a local artisan from St. Paul, showcased her business, Maps and Scraps, at Twin Cities Con as well. She specializes in creating upcycled items from textiles, transforming old t-shirts and jeans into bags, blankets, and patchwork clothing.
“I’ll take a t-shirt, look at the colors and size, and build a bag around it,” Smith explained. “They’re always lined with pockets inside, quality.” She also incorporates letters, images, phrases, and lyrics into her designs for a personal touch.
Smith primarily sells her work at events rather than a storefront. She described attending other local conventions and art crawls, including Geek Craft Expo, Art-A-Whirl in Northeast Minneapolis, and St. Paul’s Art Crawl, as well as regional cons like Convergence and a Doctor Who-themed event.
“Cons are my best venue,” Smith said. “It’s nice to have a Comic-Con so close, especially for a nerd like me.”
Reflecting on Twin Cities Con, Smith said she was impressed with the turnout.
“I’m actually really glad how many people are here,” Smith said.
Smith’s enthusiasm for the local creative and fan communities was evident while she complimented the blend of art, fandom, and community that conventions provide.
Ben Penrod, founder of Twin Cities Con and CEO of Nerd Street, discussed the growth and history of the convention, which marked its fifth year this fall.
Penrod has been running comic conventions for more than a decade and started Twin Cities Con in 2021 to fill a gap in Minneapolis.
“There wasn’t currently one happening in Minneapolis, so we started the first Twin Cities in 2021,” Penrod said. The convention has grown steadily since its inception.
“I moved here in 2022, really put a lot more into this show, and it grew quite a bit that year. It grew again in 2023, and last year it took a huge leap to where we are now,” Penrod said.
Attendance this year was expected to be similar to last year’s 30,000–35,000 people, though the event footprint at the convention center had expanded to accommodate more attendees.
Penrod emphasized the community-focused approach of Twin Cities Con.
“The nerd community in Minnesota is very responsive to an event that feeds back to them and takes their feedback seriously. We very much wanted it to feel like a community,” Penrod said while emphasizing the community-focused approach of Twin Cities Con.
Looking ahead, Penrod hopes to continue expanding the event with new programming, including concerts and wrestling shows, while improving the overall experience each year.
Nerd Street, Penrod’s company, runs multiple conventions across the country, including Des Moines Con, Central Florida Comic-Con in Lakeland, and Long Beach Comic Con in California.
“Our goal is just to keep doing cool new things every year,” he said, reflecting on the ongoing growth of Twin Cities Con.
As I concluded my time at Twin Cities Con last weekend, I walked out the door of the Minneapolis Convention Center into the brisk November air while costume-clad con attendees entered the event.
I traveled to the Nicollet Diner for lunch and sat amongst characters from across fandoms and felt transported to a dimension filled with our favorite heroes and villains.
I truly loved the magic Twin Cities Con brought to a city (Minneapolis) I hold in close regard, like Metropolis. For three days, the Minneapolis Convention Center became a shared space for imagination and storytelling, and I can’t wait to see how it gets even better next year.
