Kid-Friendly Minnesota Conventions for Your Geekling in 2019
Convention-goers at Minnesota Fan Fusion 2018: local author A. C. Weston and geekling. Madeleine Vasaly
If you have some young geeklings around, you may have considered finding a convention to attend as a family. Here’s the good news: the vast majority of the sci-fi, anime, and pop-culture cons in the Twin Cities welcome families, offering discounted and/or free admission for younger attendees and marking panels meant only for older audiences to prevent sudden surprises.
However, just because a convention touts itself as being family friendly and offers a lower rate for kids doesn’t always make it truly ideal for a family. Kids and young adults have different needs than adults. Most people need some downtime at conventions, for example; when there’s a space meant for smaller geeks, it makes it more pleasant for everyone (including fellow attendees). These rooms may have scheduled events, such as crafts, STEM activities, movies, or video-game tournaments, but they also usually include an open sandbox element. They may even also provide a place to take care of the younger geeks, offering a place for diaper changes, feedings, and naps or a place for expressing milk.
Having fun in the kids’ room at Minicon 2016. Rae Black
So, which cons are more truly kid friendly than others? The conventions on this list all have some element (beyond discounted admission) that is specifically focused at younger fans. As always, every kid is incredibly unique—your geekling may be perfectly happy attending panels for an entire weekend. Their favorite con may not be included on this list.
Be sure to check out our guide on bringing your kid(s) to a convention—and if you’re still on the fence about bringing them at all, see “Should I Bring My Child to a Convention?”
Winter
VGM Con (February 22–24, 2019)
Minnetonka, MN
Kid-friendly features: Strings Clinic designed for middle school youth (but open to all ages)
MarsCon (March 1–3, 2019)
Bloomington, MN
Kid-friendly features: Youth room with youth-oriented programming
Spring
Minicon (April 19–21, 2019)
St. Louis Park, MN
Kid-friendly features: Youth room with youth-oriented programming, teen room
Teen Lit Con (April 27, 2019)
Mendota Heights, MN
Kid-friendly features: Teen-oriented convention
MCBA Spring ComiCon (May 18–19, 2019)
Roseville, MN
Kid-friendly features: Youth-oriented activities, children’s costume contest for kids under 12 on Saturday
A young cosplayer at CONvergence 2018. Madeleine Vasaly
Summer
MLP-MSP (June 14–16, 2019)
Minneapolis,MN
Kid-friendly features: Youth-oriented programming, convention designated family friendly until 8:00 p.m.
CONvergence (July 4–7, 2019)
Minneapolis, MN
Kid-friendly features: Teen room, parenting room
Autumn
LionCon (September 21–22, 2019)
St. Cloud, MN
Kid-friendly features: Kids’ cosplay contest for 13 and under, youth-oriented activities
MCBA Fall ComiCon (TBA, generally early October)
Roseville, MN
Kid-friendly features: Youth-oriented activities
Anime Fusion (October 18th-20th)
Plymouth, MN
Kid-friendly features: Family room
Galaxy Con (November 8-10)
Minneapolis, MN
Kid-friendly features: Kids’ cosplay contest for 13 and under
Conventions are a group activity for the Nelson family, pictured at Minnesota Fan Fusion. Madeleine Vasaly
We hope to see you at one of these cons in 2018! And of course, if we missed any, please email us or let us know in the comments below so we can add them to our list. (We also recommend adding them to our free community calendar.)
And don’t miss our 2019 convention guides for gamers and cosplayers!
Follow @TwinCitiesGeeks on Twitter or Like Twin Cities Geek on Facebook for more great stuff from Minnesota geeks in your feed!
About the Author
Rae Black
As an impressionable middle schooler, Rae was led to the geek side through family traditions and Science Olympiad team members. It spiraled from there. In addition to Twin Cities Geek, she writes about life, passions, geekdom, parenting, and more at Starship Suburbia.
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It would be nice to see a “recommended age range” for these. A 4 year olds attention span for a convention may be way different from 12 year old
Hi Adam, thanks for the feedback.
Age ranges were included only when there was an age boundary provided by the con (such as for the costume contests). I didn’t feel comfortable independently assigning such designations, especially since individual children can vary wildly in maturity and interests. Additionally, many of the conventions may not have the individual panels or activities determined more than a month or two in advance, so I would recommend checking out the website for any of the conventions that may be of interest and following up with their listed contacts if needed.
~Rae