San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Expands Citywide With 1,800-Square-Foot Fan Activations

3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jul 23

Downtown San Diego is becoming a second convention hub as Comic-Con 2026 pushes major attractions beyond the convention center through immersive offsites, free fan events and branded parties running July 23-26.
Hall H anchors the indoor lineup with first looks and premieres from Percy Jackson Season 3, Marvel’s Wolverine, the Avatar Aang animated film and HBO Max’s Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Nickelodeon leads the offsite buildout with a 1,800-square-foot Fun-Ergy Factory and a nearly 20-foot Slime Surge, while Adult Swim adds a Rick and Morty carnival ride under a 26-foot Rick Sanchez head.
Studios are also using the city for franchise marketing: Disney brings Percy Jackson, Hulu Animayhem and American Horror Story activations; Sony and Discord stage a 60-minute Resident Evil challenge; HBO Max adds Lanterns and Stuart experiences.
Nightlife has become part of the convention draw, with Fandom’s ninth annual party headlined by Billie Joe Armstrong’s The Coverups and IGN taking over the Hard Rock venue the following night.