[Con Report] Anime Night Mart 2025

Anime Night Mart took place on October 18-19, 2025 at the Westminster Mall in Westminster, CA. I didn’t know if I was going to attend this event. I was going back and forth about it. Since it was not too far from me, I decided to pop in for a few hours on a Saturday. The Westminster Mall has been a part of my childhood; I played piano in the old piano store, I bought Fear Street books from Walden, and I admired the collectable Barbies at Doll It Up. At the time of the event, there were maybe five active stores still in business, holding on before the establishment gets torn down.

Anime Night Mart is a free event open to all. With over 50 vendors, the anime event took over the Westminster Mall on both of its floors. This drew in families to check out the event and shop with various local artists selling stickers, prints, charms, and more. A few voice actors had tables for signing, selfies, and special recordings for a fee. The event got pretty crowded and fairly warm. Even with the mall closing, I think they got rid of their AC! 

I dressed up as Relena from Gundam Wing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the anime. I wasn’t expecting anyone to know what I was from, and that’s okay! I was happy to see a lot of young people cosplay. Upon observation, Genshin, Demon Slayer, and Twisted Wonderland were the event’s most represented fandoms via cosplay. 

The event drew in GWC’s who were set up through a few parts of the mall. I do like the abandoned mall vibes for survival horror shots, but because there was so many people at the mall, Anime Night Mart had a lively atmosphere. People started finding ways to get on the abandoned carousel to get photos.

And then came the costume contest! Apologies for the dark photos, the lighting later in the evening in the mall is not the best. I also noticed that the mall also limited their light fixtures.

 

Announcing the winners! Top honors went to Fire Emblem and Arcane cosplayers. The audience also got to pick their favorites by providing the loudest cheers for the scariest cosplays and overall audience favorite.

Even though I was there for a few hours, a free event like Anime Night Mart is very telling that anime fandom is here to stay. As an oldie in the community, if I was in high school, I’d be begging for my parents to take me to this event and cosplay. I’m happy that we have a third space like this for new generations of otaku to enjoy.

The future is up in the air for Anime Night Mart. Who knows where in Southern California they might strike next? Maybe Del Amo mall in Torrance? Maybe they could take over the old Joann’s? Once spaces for Gen X and Millennial teens to hang out, malls in Southern California have become a dying space, but anime and artist markets are keeping the phrase, “Let’s go to the mall” still relevant.