First-ever Anime St. Pete Convention brings star-studded events lineup this weekend

“We want to give fans an opportunity to dive into Japanese media and bond with the community,” said Dewey Caruthers, Anime St. Pete convention organizer. “St. Petersburg, the state’s fifth largest city, deserves an anime convention,” he said, noting The Sunshine City is the only major Florida city to not have an anime convention.

Anime St. Pete is brought to you by the organizers of St. Pete Comic Con, which drew 3,500 attendees in its debut run. Six major anime voice actors are headlining the convention (more on them below), and the first–time event has more than 50 panels covering a wide range of topics from popular staples like Q&A’s with the voice actors and ‘Anime Jeopardy’ to deeper subject dives such as ‘The Philosophy of Power in Dragon Ball’ and ‘The Anthropology of One Piece.’

Anime St. Pete also welcomes a one-of-a-kind TikTok Film Festival to celebrate the overlap between anime fans and TikTok users. Participants are invited to bring their creativity and show judges what they’ve got by submitting their own TikTok! $500 in cash prizes available for the winners. Hop on that trending audio, implement some Akira level cinematography, and introduce St. Pete to your artistic vision.

Side note: Make sure you’re following I Love the Burg on TikTok!

On top of the film fest, the cosplay competition, and the fan art on display, there will also be a Lip Sync battle. Entrants will compete for $200 in cash prizes total.

You’ll have to register in advance for these events. Make sure to visit Anime St. Pete’s website for additional details.

St. Pete’s first ever Anime Convention adds it to the growing roster of major Florida cities celebrating this longstanding art form that continues to influence fashion, architecture and design, and cinema today.

The St. Pete Coliseum is located at 535 4th Ave N in downtown St. Pete. Those visiting town for the event, or maybe just want to enjoy an excursion/staycation in the ‘Burg should consider reserving a room at the beautiful Hollander Hotel. This spot features the top-rated breakfast in the Sunshine City, and a chic pool with cabanas.

Featured voice actors:

Aaron Dismuke, who voices popular characters in beloved anime shows like My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Dr. Stone.

Bryson Baugus, who voices popular characters in beloved anime shows like Haikyu!!, Attack on Titan, and Darling in the Franxx.

Ryan Bartley, who voices popular characters in beloved anime shows like Hunter x Hunter, Demon Slayer, and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Chris Guerrero, who voices popular characters in beloved anime shows like Overlord, Sk8 the Infinity, and Fairy Tail.

Jill Harris, who voices popular characters in beloved anime shows like Black Clover, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K, and Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card.

Dallas Reid, who voices popular characters in beloved anime shows like Black Clover, Dragon Ball Super, and Angels of Death.