The grand Fancon 2026 festival has kicked off in the capital
This weekend, Kyiv transformed into the premier destination for enthusiasts of pop culture, video games, comics, and cosplay. The impressive Fancon convention has officially commenced within the halls of the International Exhibition Centre. Thousands of attendees have already flocked to the event, a significant portion of whom have brought to life incredible interpretations of beloved characters from anime, cinematic universes, computer games, and bestselling novels. This is reported by «Glavcom».
The visitors themselves traditionally became the main highlight of the festival. Crowds of elves, Marvel and DC superheroes, witches, cyberpunks, and characters from renowned games completely took over the venue. Professional cosplayers and amateurs dedicated months to perfecting the details of their costumes, crafting props, and applying intricate makeup.
photo from social media
У Києві сотні фанатів попкультури зібралися на фестивалі Fancon pic.twitter.com/qHOmJwod5m
— ГЛАВКОМ (@GLAVCOM_UA) June 6, 2026
photo from social media
For many attendees (especially teenagers and members of geek culture), finding like-minded individuals in everyday life can be challenging, where their passions for comics, anime, tabletop role-playing games, or collecting figurines might be deemed «childish» or peculiar. The festival brought together people in the most extravagant costumes, with pink hair, or clad in elf armor. Modern fandoms (communities of fans for a specific series, game, or universe) thrive online – in chats, forums, Discord, and Telegram channels. People communicate online for years, discussing theories or sharing their creative work. The festival provides a unique opportunity for them to connect offline.
photo from social media 
photo from social media 
photo from social media
The geek community in Ukraine is known for its remarkable solidarity in volunteer efforts. Festival attendees came not just to «escape reality,» but also to simultaneously donate and support the military, as the patriotic context is an inseparable part of modern Ukrainian festivals.
We remind you that many interesting cultural events are scheduled in the capital this weekend. In particular, art lovers can look forward to Ivan Marchuk’s anniversary exhibition at the Kyiv Museum and the «New Military Landscape» project at the Kyiv Picture Gallery. Theater enthusiasts will be captivated by the legendary musical «Chicago» at the Operetta Theatre and the documentary musical «Rebelyia» by MUR. And a special atmosphere for summer evenings will be created by retro hits performed by the «Homin» choir and exquisite Italian music by candlelight on a rooftop.