SacAnime Spring returns to Cal Expo. Celebrities to expect and how to get tickets
SacAnime is returning to Cal Expo for its spring convention the weekend of Friday, April 24, through Sunday, April 26.
This year, SacAnime is making its way back to Sacramento after spending years hosting its spring convention in Roseville, said Scott Armstrong, the event’s show manager.
This move is in part because of growing convention attendance.
“Our footprint is larger this time,” Armstrong said. “We just outgrew the capacity space and usability of the Robellen Center and decided to return to Cal Expo.”
SacAnime Spring was hosted at Cal Expo before COVID-19, Armstrong said. This year, the con will use every part of Cal Expo, from “the Cove — the concert venue — to the pavilion next to the horse racing track,” Armstrong said.
The convention will spotlight 350 vendors inside the Expo’s pavilion. The artist alley, tabletop gaming, video gaming and anime music video contest will be held in the Expo’s permanent tent, Armstrong said.
Who are the celebrity guests?
The convention’s celebrity guest include a variety of actors including classic Cartoon Network shows from the 1990s and early 2000s, the cast of Resident Evil, and English anime voice talent. The guest list includes:
- Don Bluth, legendary American animation filmmaker and the creator of films like “The Land Before Time,” “Anastasia” and “All Dogs Go to Heaven”
- The cast of “Resident Evil Requiem,” featuring Nick Apostolides, who portrays Leon S. Kennedy, Angela Sant’Albano who portrays Grace Ashcroft, Emma Rose Creaner who portrays Emily and Delanie Nicole Gill who portrays “The Girl”
- Marty Grabstein, the voice of Courage from “Courage the Cowardly Dog”
- Jeff Bennett, the voice of Johnny Bravo from “Johnny Bravo”
- Tony Sampson, Sam Vincent and Matt Hill, the voices of Ed, Edd, and Eddy from “Ed, Edd n Eddy”
- Brina Palencia, the voice of Dr. Tony Tony Chopper from “One Piece” and Juvia Loxar from “Fairy Tail”
- David Matranga, the voice of Shoto Torodoki from “My Hero Academia”
- Patrick Seitz, the voice of Franky from “One Piece”
- Lauren Landa, the voice of Sailor Neptune from “Sailor Moon” and Annie Leonhart from “Attack on Titan”
For the autograph and photo opportunities, convention attendees can view their schedule on SacAnime’s website. Throughout the weekend, guests will answer fan questions and discussing anime and animation at the Cal Expo’s cove. Smaller panels will be inside a permanent tent on Cal Expo grounds, Armstrong said.
How do I get tickets?
Tickets can be purchased online on SacAnime’s website. An all-weekend pass costs $45. Single day tickets range from $25 to $30, depending on the day.
Tickets are non-refundable, except if it was bought with a “purchase protection program,” according to SacAnime’s website.
SacAnime begins Friday at noon and ends at 11 p.m. The convention continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 7:00 AM.
