C2E2 — the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo — is the Midwest's largest and most significant pop culture convention. Running March 27-29, 2026 at McCormick Place South, it draws 85,000+ attendees across three days for celebrity guest panels, one of the largest Artist Alleys in the country, the Crown Championship of Cosplay, gaming events, and the general organized chaos of tens of thousands of people who care deeply about the same things in the same place at the same time.
Essential 2026 Details
Dates: March 27-29, 2026
Venue: McCormick Place South, 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, IL
Hours: Friday and Saturday 10am-7pm; Sunday 10am-5pm
Attendance: 85,000+
Refund deadline: March 19, 2026
Getting to C2E2
McCormick Place is in the South Loop area of Chicago, accessible by multiple transit routes. The CTA Green and Orange Lines stop at Cermak-McCormick Place station, which is very close to the convention entrance — from downtown Chicago or the Red Line corridor, transfer to the Green or Orange Line and you're a short walk from the doors. Driving is possible but parking in the McCormick Place garage runs $30-40/day; if you're staying downtown, transit is faster and cheaper.
Hotels: the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place is connected directly to the convention center and sells out quickly during C2E2 weekend. Staying in the South Loop or the Loop and taking transit is a practical and often cheaper alternative. C2E2 maintains a housing link on its website with negotiated rates at partner hotels.
The Artist Alley
C2E2's Artist Alley is one of the strongest in the country — hundreds of working comics artists, illustrators, and creators selling original art, prints, and commissions. This is where much of C2E2's actual value lives for serious fans of comics and illustration. Original art at Artist Alley runs from $10 prints to significant original page art; commission pricing varies by artist. If you're interested in original work from specific creators, many artists open commission slots in advance — check their social media before the convention.
Walking Artist Alley with a budget in mind before you start is strongly recommended — it's easy to spend $300 in an hour when the work is this good. Prioritize the creators you know you want work from and browse for discoveries after.
Crown Championship of Cosplay
The Crown Championship of Cosplay is C2E2's major cosplay competition and one of the most prestigious regional cosplay events in the country. The competition runs across the convention weekend with prejudging on Friday and Saturday and the main competition on Saturday. Winners receive significant prize money and advancement opportunities in the international competition circuit. For serious competitive cosplayers in the Midwest, C2E2 is a major event on the calendar.
For attendees who aren't competing, the Crown Championship masquerade is worth attending as an audience — the quality of the competition-level builds on display is extraordinary, and seeing what's achievable in costume construction is its own education.
Celebrity Guests and Programming
C2E2 brings strong celebrity lineups across comics, film, and television. Photo ops and autograph sessions are paid separately from the badge and can add significant cost if you want to meet multiple guests. Budget for these specifically if they're a priority. The celebrity programming panels — Q&As in the main programming rooms — are typically included with badge admission and are often more interesting than photo op lines.
First-Timer Strategy
C2E2 is large enough to be genuinely overwhelming on first visit. Prioritize: spend day one doing one sweep of the Artist Alley to see what's available, one pass through the exhibit hall, and attending one or two panels. Let yourself acclimate before you commit to a plan. The convention culture is experienced and mostly self-organizing — people are helpful about directions, recommendations, and what's worth seeing. Ask.