Zenkaikon

I have been selling at this con for a decade, and it has been great seeing it grow! It has changed places a few times but my review is for its current home of the last few years in Lancaster PA. It is a midsized con at about 5,800 - 7,000 people. I always sell well there and the staff is great. Price is fair for the convention size. Hotels in the area split between 4-6 people are not crazy in price (though limited so sometimes getting a room can be a pain). Parking is reasonable.

The artists share the room with the dealers, who get about 60% of the room space. Also voice actor guests tables line one wall. The artists are at the back half but the room isn't that huge so people walk around the whole thing easily. I never feel like people ignore the artists whatsoever. Much the contrary! My table is often busy with customers.

My only gripes would have to be the convention hall can get cold at times, and the table layout could use bigger points of egress out of the created table rectangles. They could honestly fit a few more tables in, but I do know they want to keep aisles big, it does help traffic flow. Also in sharing the room with the dealers you close at the same time.

But yea definitely one of my favorite conventions, keeps me coming back every year!

I had nothing to really complain about at Zenkaikon. Although it was one space for Dealers and Artists, the tables are spaced out very well with no obstructions (Dealers were in the center of the room, Artists were along the walls). What interaction I had with staff was great and friendly, traffic was decent for the con size, and table prices were great (as mentioned in the Con details here on this site). If you are local enough, I highly recommend.

Oh, forgot to mention, up until now it was first come first served for getting a table. For 2016 they changed it, with 25/65 of the tables first come first served and the rest are random draw. So if you don't get in within the first few seconds, you still have an equal chance as everyone else who didn't get one of the first 25 tables.