Festivals & Fan Cons

From the badge-holders, to the superfans who can’t get their hands on a ticket, activations at San Diego Comic-Con welcome everyone into the fold, and this year's showing was no exception. Training quarters, surprise game shows, auction houses and carnivals were all on the activation agenda. Join us for a tour.

To know the fan, you must be the fan. And brands that showed up to Fanatics Fest 2026 proved it. We navigated around talent walkways—how stars get from backstage to in-booth panels and appearances—drops and more. Here’s what stuck out.

This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Run Vaults, Gold Squad goals and taking it Back to the Hut.

This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover cowboy deliveries, synchronized gaming raids and talking toilet paper.

This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Peter Parker’s Apartment Tour, a Wimbledon-inspired activation in Central Park and X Games’ High Noon Sun Club.