MetroCon 2026, one of the biggest anime conventions in the country, is back in Tampa and this year, the event has grown bigger than ever.The convention, held at the Tampa Convention Center, draws thousands of cosplay enthusiast s, artists, vendors, and fans from across the region. This year, lines stretched out the door.Heidi Craddock, the Director of Exhibits, said the numbers reflect just how much the event has grown."We grew from last year definitely we're about over, I think believe we should break 18,000," Craddock said.WATCH: MetroCon 2026 draws thousands to Tampa Convention Center MetroCon 2026 draws thousands to Tampa Convention CenterThe economic impact of the convention extends well beyond the convention floor. According to the Tampa Convention Center, tickets and hotel rooms alone historically generate around $3 million and that does not include what the event brings to vendors.Sara Pike and Tiffany Ciper own Epicycle Studios, a business built around drawing art and selling at conventions across the country. But MetroCon holds a special place for them.Ciper has been attending since the early days of the convention, which was first hosted in 2003."I've been to every single MetroCon, way back when it was in the hotel. I'm pretty sure it was on MLK Street here in town. And I freaking loved it," Ciper said.Pike believes the reason fans and vendors keep coming back and why the convention's popularity continues to grow comes down to the community feel inside the exhibit hall."There's not a lot of people selling like generic corporate-made products. It's mostly people and collectors; yeah, it's mostly people who made their own stuff, and you're getting something unique," Pike said.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less