SEATTLE — Sakura-Con is considered to be the oldest and most well attended anime convention in the Pacific Northwest.
The convention is a celebration of Japanese culture, anime, manga, gaming, martial arts, crafts, music and more. Sakura-Con is a nonprofit presented by The Asia-Northwest Cultural Education Association (ANCEA).
Sakura-Con started in 1998 with 313 attendees in its inaugural year and has grown to be among the top five largest anime conventions in the nation. It's the second largest of its kind on the West Coast and features more than a dozen cultural groups each year.
All of the money raised at Sakura-Con goes toward supporting the ANCEA mission to educate about Asian culture. Sakura-Con returned to the Seattle Convention Center with more than 100,000 square feet of exhibits, guests and more.
Martial arts, cosplay contests and celebrity panel discussions make the convention unique with a family-friendly approach and all volunteer staff.
“We are for the fans and by the fans” said Heather Chambers, the director of publicity. “I’ve been volunteering since I was 17 and I just turned 33 this year.
The year just wouldn’t feel right without Sakura-Con.” Chambers added.
The convention is the first to occupy both buildings of the Seattle Convention Center and has grown to host tens of thousands of visitors a day. It operates 24 hours a day until closing on Sunday night.
“We have dances at night and lots of people play games into the early hours” Chambers said.
Sakura-Con is underway and online registration will stay live for the entirety of Sakura-Con. Volunteers ask that you have purchased your membership prior to getting in line for Badge Pickup.