Comic-Con San Diego 2024

Comic-Con San Diego 2024

One of the biggest conventions in the world, San Diego Comic-Con is works hard to be inclusive, showing support for the LGBTQ community with its numerous industry panels, thousands of gender fluid cosplay and showcasing queer characters in new television series and movies.

• Stay in thee Downtown district, home to some of the city’s better hotels and just 6 minutes drive/15 min walk from the convention centre. Stay at The Bristol, a boutique hotel located at the crossroads of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.

The Convention

• More than 100,000 people from the USA and around the world make the pilgrimage to Comic-Con in San Diego each year. The event has even set the Guinness World Record for the largest annual comic and pop culture festival in the world.
• Enter another universe at the San Diego Convention Center as you mingle with people in stunning costumes ranging from iconic Marvel superheroes to frightening creatures from trending horror movies.
• Gone are the days when it only showcased comic books; today San Diego Comic Con covers the entire range of pop-culture from collectible card games, anime, manga, animation, web comics, film  and television. Where else can you meet with so many different types of people with similar interests.Comic-Con is like one big circus with stunning costumes. This is where people’s imaginations run riot and fantasies come true.

Gay Parties during San Diego Comic Con

• Typical parties include the Heroes and Villains parties at Rich’s.
• The Locker Room’s Comic Con Party at The Merrow is also very popular.

Special Trolly Line

• For the duration of the convention, San Diego MTS will run a trolley line service between the Balboa Avenue Transit Center and 12th and Imperial Transit Center
• The Special Event Line serves UC San Diego Blue Line stations between Balboa Avenue and Santa Fe Depot, and then continues along the Green Line path between Santa Fe Depot and 12th & Imperial

The Panels

• Each year the convention hosts some amazing panels. Plan which ones you want to attend and be prepared to wait! Stay a step ahead and get to your preferred panel early. Also, tickets, hotels and apartments sell out well in advance, so book everything early.
• Popular Gay Panels include “LGBTQ Characters on Television” and “Horror Is Queer”.
• Most of the events are finalized within 2 weeks of the event so stay flexible with your plans.
• A a rule of thumb, Friday usually has a lot of Star Wars events, Saturday is the busiest day on the convention floor and Sunday is quieter.
• Each year Prism Comics produces a special LGBT guide to the event, covering the different panels. Highly recommended.

Gay Parties during San Diego Comic-Con

• The Convention Center is located on East Harbor Drive just off the marina close to the heart of the city’s busy districts and to the great restaurants in the nearby Gaslamp District of downtown SD.
• The Westin San Diego features spacious rooms offering superb city views, a modern fitness centre, spa and pool.
• As the evening progresses many visitors hit the gay bars and clubs along Hillcrest, which host special theme nights, drag-themed comic con shows and even a superhero pool party. Many bars will have extended happy hours for the event.
• And don’t miss your chance to feature in the LGBT Cosplay Group Photo at the San Diego Convention Center on the Sunday! The event is for LGBT cosplayers to get together and take a huge group photo session!

Recommended Hotels in San Diego

The following hotels are close to the city’s top attractions, and a short ride to the convention centre:

Pendry San Diego,    Gaslamp Plaza Suites,    The Westin,    Inn at the Park