VidCon returns from June 25th to 27th at the Anaheim Convention Center, marking the 15th year of the internet’s largest creator convention.
Started as a YouTube-centric gathering by John and Hank Green in 2010, Vidcon has become one of online culture’s largest annual gatherings, bringing together creators, fans, platforms, brands, and media companies under one roof. The event currently spans creator panels, meet-ups, live podcasts, workshops, community meetups, industry programming, and conversations about where the creator economy is headed next.
What is VidCon? What you need to know about the 2026 creator convention
The events of 2026 arrive at a moment when creator culture is bigger, more fragmented, and more specialized than ever before. TikTok stars, livestreamers, podcasters, gamers, educators, entrepreneurs, and independent media companies are all now part of the same broader creator economy, and this year’s schedule reflects that change.
Here are seven things I’m particularly looking forward to.
1. The second class of Hall of Famers is stacked
Now in its second year, VidCon’s Hall of Fame gives creator culture a more formal way to recognize its history.
This year’s inductees are Markiplier, Michelle Phan, Cassey Ho, and Philip DeFranco, content creators representing the gaming, independent news, beauty, and fitness content lanes.
Markiplier, Michelle Phan and more inducted into VidCon Hall of Fame
Their induction into the Hall of Fame follows VidCon’s inaugural 2025 Hall of Fame class, which included Anthony Padilla, Grace Helbig, Hank Green and Tyler Oakley, and will take place during the opening ceremony on Thursday, June 25th.
2. Our lineup spans nearly every corner of the internet
This year’s lineup of featured creators brings together legendary YouTubers, short-form stars, animators, beauty creators, gamers, performers, and internet personalities who built audiences in a completely different era of the web.
Confirmed names include SSSniperwolf, The Professor, Sydney Morgan, Alex Wassabi, GloZell, Rosanna Pansino, Jasmin and James, and Tubbo.
Mashable Trend Report
3. Expo Hall will be lit up
Expo Hall has always been the place where VidCon feels most like the internet coming to life, and this year it’s getting a bigger experiential push.
The 2026 Expo Hall will include exhibit booths, gaming zones, sports courts, a live podcast studio, community zone programming, featured creator booths, ShopSpot, Makers’ Alley, Out of the Box IRL, and Creator TV pickleball arena.
There’s also a whole GorillaCon section. GorillaCon is a dedicated space for the Gorilla Tag virtual reality gaming community that goes far beyond standard game activations. The program includes a Gorilla Tag creator meet-and-greet, a developer AMA, music from MixMaster Monke DJ, a session with Gorilla Tag creator Lemming, and a look at the future of the game.
4. Sports and creator culture officially collide
One of the most interesting parts of this year’s program is its focus on the convergence of sports media and the creator economy, especially amidst the current hype surrounding the FIFA World Cup and the 2026 NBA Finals.
One event includes the Sports Court, the Creator TV Pickleball Arena, and the Creator Pickleball Tour, which features names such as NichLmao, ZHC, Pete Montzingo, and Austin Splinz. VidCon also features creator contest formats such as Shoot for the CROWN, GeoGuessr Battle, and Creator Casino.
5. Platform executives deserve attention
VidCon has always been a place where fans go to meet creators, but it’s also a place where industry can see what the platforms are really prioritizing.
This year’s speaker lineup includes executives from Twitch, Snap, Spotify, Pinterest, and Tubi, with Twitch CEO Dan Clancy scheduled to speak on the industry’s main stage about the future of live content. Creator economy expert Jon Youshaei will also host a keynote on the first day, with additional speakers from major platforms scheduled.
There will also be panels with titles such as “The Vertical Shorts Dilemma — Bubble or Boom?” and “Creator Economy State of the Union.” These conversations will no doubt serve as a top-down temperature check on the companies currently forming the platform.
6. Some of fans’ biggest moments happen off stage.
Meet & Greets remain one of VidCon’s main fan attractions, and this year it’s split between a standard Meet & Greet and a personalized Ultimate Meet & Greet experience. Eligible multi-day passholders can sign up in advance and VidCon, Creator, and Pro passholders are allowed up to four total meet & greets, and VidCon+ passholders are allowed up to five meet & greets (single-day tickets are not eligible for meet & greet sign-ups). The lineup includes some of the event’s biggest names.
7. Networking options beyond regular mixers
Beyond main stage panels and fan events, VidCon also focuses on smaller networking formats. The Mentorship Series gives creators and Pro Pass participants access to a 19-person, first-come, first-served roundtable where participants can ask questions and get advice from creators, marketers, technology experts, and other industry speakers. (Mashable will be hosting a unique mentorship session titled “Pitch Me: Mistakes Creators Make in Pitches and How to Fix Them” on Saturday, June 27th at 10:30 a.m. PT.)
We also have an invite-only program called Brand Match Accelerator that connects brands, agencies, and sponsors with a select group of 200 creators. Approved participants will have access to networking apps and are guaranteed four on-site meetings with featured creators.
Fifteen years later, it’s opportunities like this that still make VidCon interesting. VidCon is one of the few places where fans, creators, platforms, and brands come together to discover what online culture is all about…but off-screen.
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