Emerald City Comic Con 2026

3/8/2026

This is where the fun begins! Emerald City Comic Con 2026 took place in downtown Seattle, WA, once again drawing tens of thousands of fans to the largest pop culture convention in the Pacific Northwest over four days (March 5 - 8, 2026). Held across the Seattle Convention Center as well as the nearby Summit building, the event continues to impress and remains a must-attend gathering for fans and creatives who love movies, comics, art, gaming, television and anything pop culture. For GalacticFigures.com, coverage of Emerald City Comic Con dates back to 2004, making 2026 the 22nd year of attending and reporting from the convention floor!

Over the past two decades, the growth of Emerald City Comic Con has been remarkable. What began as a relatively small gathering in the lobby of Qwest Field (the old name of the Seahawks stadium) has transformed into a massive multi-building convention that stretches across downtown Seattle. The event occupies both the main convention center and the Summit building, both easily reachable via Seattle's Lightrail Westlake station or car.

The centerpiece of the Star Wars experience at Emerald City Comic Con was once again the immersive exhibit hosted by the 501st Legion and other regional fan organizations. This year’s display felt noticeably refreshed compared to previous years, with several new themed sections and installations. The exhibit covered all aspects of Star Wars, featuring numerous props and displays inspired by the movies and the hit Disney+ tv shows. One highlight was a life-size cantina set built directly inside the experience room, creating an impressive backdrop for fans to explore and take photos.

Another standout element was DJ RX, the Galaxy's Edge droid, who appeared as a "dancing" and DJing attraction inside the exhibit. Combined with an array of Mandalorian-themed props such as Mando helmets and weaponry, the experience offered numerous photo opportunities and interactive moments for fans. And even though the experience is included in the price of admission, the exhibit serves as a fundraiser, with proceeds going toward charities that support children in need. The passion and dedication of the volunteers involved made the experience especially memorable. Want a picture with a Jedi, Mandalorian or a droid? Then you need to make the time and visit the Star Wars experience at ECCC.

Just outside the exhibit space, the Pacific Northwest Droid Builders were once again out in force with an impressive collection of functioning droids roaming the convention floor. Visitors could see multiple versions of R2-D2, an R5-D4 unit, mouse droids navigating through the crowds, and even the fan-favorite B2EMO from the Andor series. Many of the droids were fully remote-controlled with moving panels, lights, and sound effects, making them an incredible sight for both kids and adult fans. Several themed backdrops were also available, allowing attendees to take photos alongside the droids.

Show Floor

A handful of vendors carried Hasbro’s modern Star Wars lines, including The Vintage Collection and Black Series figures. One booth in particular offered a wider range of older items, including Power of the Force 2 figures and Episode I releases. However, in the grand scheme of things, Star Wars action figures represented only a small portion of the merchandise available at the convention. Out of hundreds of exhibitors on the show floor, only three or four booths were dedicated to selling Star Wars figures.

Like many large conventions today, Emerald City Comic Con has evolved far beyond its original focus on comic books. What began as a traditional comic convention has transformed into a massive gathering for fans of every kind of fandom. While comics are still present, the convention now features panels, workshops, and discussions covering a wide variety of topics.

For example, some panels focused on helping creators and entrepreneurs navigate the business side of pop culture, including discussions led by lawyers about copyright law and trademarks. These types of sessions are designed to help aspiring creators launch their own businesses and protect their work. The convention also included Artist Alley, an entire floor dedicated to artists selling prints, books, magnets, stickers, and other original creations. Many well-known artists from across the country were present, offering a huge range of unique artwork.

The show floor itself reflected the broader pop culture focus of the event. While there were relatively few comic book vendors, there were booths dedicated to clothing, fantasy weapons, lightsabers, live action role-playing gear, and even tattoo artists working inside the convention. Other sections focused on gaming and interactive experiences, making it impossible to see everything in a single day.

Star Wars Celebrities

Star Wars celebrities were also a major draw at Emerald City Comic Con 2026. Hayden Christensen, who portrayed Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, appeared for autograph signings and photo opportunities. Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian, was also in attendance, drawing large crowds of fans eager to meet the actor behind one of the series’ most memorable villains.

Another major guest was Ming-Na Wen, who portrays the bounty hunter Fennec Shand in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Her appearance added even more Star Wars star power to the convention and was particularly exciting for fans of the recent Disney+ series.

One of the most memorable guests for us was Bryce Dallas Howard. Known for directing several fan-favorite Star Wars episodes across The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Skeleton Crew, and Ahsoka, Howard has become an important creative force within the modern Star Wars universe. Fans who met Bryce at Emerald City Comic Con were treated to a genuinely warm and welcoming experience. Rather than remaining seated behind the autograph table, she stood in front of it and took time to interact with fans individually. Her kindness and willingness to engage with attendees left many fans walking away with a very positive impression.

To close out the Star Wars programming at Emerald City Comic Con 2026, Giancarlo Esposito and Ming-Na Wen appeared together for a special panel on Sunday dedicated to The Mandalorian. The discussion offered fans insights into their characters and their experiences working on the hit Disney+ series. Panels like this continue to be a major highlight of Emerald City Comic Con, giving fans the opportunity to hear directly from the actors who help bring their favorite characters to life.

Overall, Emerald City Comic Con 2026 once again demonstrated why it remains one of the most important pop culture conventions in the United States. Spanning multiple buildings in downtown Seattle and featuring an enormous range of fandoms, panels, and experiences, the event continues to grow in scale every year. For Star Wars fans, the combination of the 501st Star Wars experience, roaming droids, celebrity guests, and collectible hunting made ECCC 2026 another memorable convention.

If you have never attended Emerald City Comic Con before and have an interest in any form of pop culture, it is an event that is well worth experiencing at least once. With four full days of programming and activities, attendees may find that even two days at the convention can barely scratch the surface of everything ECCC has to offer.

As always, special thanks go out to ReedPop for having GalacticFigures.com attend to cover the convention. While our website primarily focuses on Star Wars action figures, our coverage also includes major Star Wars fan experiences (e.g. NY Toy Fair, SW Celebrations, NYCC) and events at conventions such as ECCC. This year was another great one, and we are looking forward to what 2027 has in store!