Locals' guide to Comic-Con 2025: What to do without a badge
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A family of cosplayers dressed as X-Men at last year's Comic-Con. Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
San Diego is ready to assume its fleeting annual moment as the world's capital of pop culture — even if Marvel decided not to stage its usual headline-grabbing panel this year.
Why it matters: Comic-Con International brings about 135,000 fans to downtown San Diego, with an estimated $165 million in overall spending, according to an economic impact report from SDSU's Fowler School of Business.
Driving the news: Comic-Con's four-day run at the Convention Center begins Thursday, and single-day tickets for the sold-out event currently start at over $400 on resale sites.
- But there are plenty of pop-ups and installations around town that don't require a badge.
State of play: The easiest path is posting up at any bar or restaurant on Fifth Avenue — or inside any of the hotels south of Harbor Drive — to watch the cosplayers.
- The Interactive Zone at Petco Park offers free video game demos from Arc System Works and an immersive activation of Magic the Gathering and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The latest: Starting Friday, Comedy Central is turning the Quartyard in East Village into an immersive "South Park" experience, with trivia, photo ops, merch and giveaways.
- Entrance is free, but you have to register through the show's social media.
Here are seven other off-site Comic-Con events:
🦇 "Batman" (1989) In Concert, on Saturday night at Gallagher Square, brings Tim Burton's classic film to life with a 50-piece orchestra playing Danny Elfman's score alongside an HD projection of the movie.
📚 The San Diego Public Library's annual commemorative library card, this year designed by local artist Sarah Wilkinson, is available at all library locations starting Thursday.
- The library also throws a free five-day conference with panels on the role comics play in literacy and education. Registration recommended.
🛸 Lilo & Stitch: A Taste of Paradise is a family-friendly activation, with free shave ice and photo ops from 10am to 7pm daily (ends at 2pm Sunday).
📽️ Kevin Smith's Comic-Concerts stages nightly comedy talk shows from the director and his collaborators at Good Night John Boy in the Gaslamp.
🖥️ One More Time is a Comic-Con after-party on Saturday night at Music Box, featuring a Tron-themed DJ show playing Daft Punk's hits.
🌴 Malibu Barbie Cafe offers a 90-minute meal in an immersive Barbie world on Pacific Highway.
🎮 Pac-Man Cafe opened a few weeks ago on Seventh Avenue near Petco Park to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the arcade classic.
🌍 Afrofuturism Lounge is an annual event that celebrates Black creativity in comics and culture, at the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park on Thursday night.