Bak-Anime
StatusActive
GenreAnime, Manga, Video Games[1][2]
VenueKern County Fairgrounds
Location(s)Bakersfield, California
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2010
Websitehttp://www.bak-anime.com/

Bak-Anime is an annual two-day anime convention held at the Kern County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield, California by the staff of SacAnime.[3] The convention is the sister conventions to the Bakersfield Comic Con, Sacramento Comic, Toy and Anime Show (Sac-Con), and SacAnime.

Programming

The convention typically offers an artists’ alley, card game tournaments, cosplay contest, dealer's room, and a swap meet.[4][5][6]

History

The convention began due to the requests of fans from the Bakersfield Comic Con.[7][8] Bak-Anime in winter 2013 moved to the Bakersfield Marriott due to growth and for the fall 2013 event expanded to two days.[1][7][8] The expansion in the fall was considered a risk due to the increased costs of events run at that time of the year.[1] The convention returned to one day in June 2014, and re-expanded to two days in January 2015.[9][10] The 2019 event occupied two of the Kern County Fairgrounds buildings.[6] Bak-Anime 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11][12] Bak-Anime 2021 was also cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13][14]

Event history

Dates Location Atten. Guests
May 2, 2010 Doubletree Hotel Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California		Katie Bair and Liam O'Brien.[3]
January 23, 2011 Doubletree Hotel Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California		Stephanie Lesniak, Billy Martinez, and Vic Mignogna.[15]
April 22, 2012 Doubletree Hotel Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California		1,100[7]Laura Bailey, Billy Martinez, and Travis Willingham.[16]
January 20, 2013 Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center
Bakersfield, California		1,400
(est)[17]		Ivy Doomkitty, Billy Martinez, Roger Craig Smith, and Nate Watson.[18]
November 2–3, 2013 Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center
Bakersfield, California		Akai SKY, Jennifer Hale, Liam O'Brien, and Sam Riegel.[19]
June 22, 2014 Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center
Bakersfield, California		Trina Nishimura and Brina Palencia.[20]
January 24–25, 2015 Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center
Bakersfield, California		around 1,400
(est)[21]		Christine Marie Cabanos, Kyle Hebert, and Cristina Vee.[22][23]
February 6–7, 2016 Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center
Bakersfield, California		Johnny Yong Bosch, Eyeshine, Tony Fleecs, Ali Hillis,[24] and Kyle Hebert, Roger Jackson.[21]
February 25–26, 2017 Kern County Fairgrounds
Bakersfield, California		around 3,500
(est)[25][26]		Karan Ashley, Walter E. Jones, Cherami Leigh Danielle McRae, Vic Mignogna, and David Yost.[26]
February 3–4, 2018 Kern County Fairgrounds
Bakersfield, California		Feodor Chin, Liam O'Brien, Josh Petersdorf, and David Yost.[27]
February 2–3, 2019 Kern County Fairgrounds
Bakersfield, California		Kellen Goff, Kenny James, Neil Kaplan, Vic Mignogna, and Tara Sands.[28]
May 21-22, 2022 Kern County Fairgrounds
Bakersfield, California		Mela Lee, Vic Mignogna, Sarah Natochenny, Alicyn Packard, Nate Watson, Ezra Weisz, Joe Zieja,[29] and James Mathis III.[30]
May 20-21, 2023 Kern County Fairgrounds
Bakersfield, California		Laila Berzins, Brook Chalmers, Ian James Corlett, Tony Fleecs, Josey McCoy, Patrick Pedraza, and Dina Sherman.[31]

References

  1. ^ a b c Dias, Stefani (October 30, 2013). "Anime-azing weekend ahead for serious fans". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  2. ^ Wheat, Graham C (November 6, 2013). "Hale, Riegel and O'Brien take center stage at Bak-Anime". The Renegade Rip. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Bak-Anime 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  4. ^ Luiz, Joseph (February 3, 2018). "Getting animated: County fairgrounds hosts Bak-Anime convention". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Get animated for return of Bak-Anime this weekend". The Bakersfield Californian. January 31, 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  6. ^ a b Chandy, Asha (January 26, 2019). "Bak-Anime a two-day event chock-full of Japanese pop culture". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Dias, Stefani (January 18, 2013). "Mad for manga? Head to Bak-Anime". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Bak-Anime, Bakersfield anime convention held at Marriott". ABC 23 - Scripps TV Station Group. January 20, 2013. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  9. ^ Dias, Stefani (June 18, 2014). "Bronies, actors and cosplay, oh my!". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  10. ^ Houghtaling, Lexie (January 26, 2015). "Fans head out to Bakersfield Anime Convention". Bakersfield Now. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  11. ^ "Thank You! See You Next Year". Facebook. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Bak-Anime 2020 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  13. ^ "Bak-Anime Postponing to 2022 - Bak-Anime". Bak-Anime. April 21, 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Bak-Anime 2021 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  15. ^ "Bak-Anime 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  16. ^ "Bak-Anime 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  17. ^ Shin, Robin (January 30, 2013). "Cosplayers gather at Bak-Anime". The Renegade Rip. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  18. ^ "Bak-Anime 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  19. ^ "Bak-Anime 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
  20. ^ "Bak-Anime 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  21. ^ a b Dias, Stefani (February 3, 2016). "Bak-Anime illustrates commitment to community". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  22. ^ "Bak-Anime 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2014-12-08.
  23. ^ Ardis, Kelly (January 21, 2015). "Who was that masked man? Find out at Bak-Anime". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  24. ^ "Bak-Anime 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  25. ^ Dias, Stefani (February 27, 2017). "New theater takes a bow". Bakersfield Now. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  26. ^ a b "Bak-Anime 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  27. ^ "Bak-Anime 2018 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  28. ^ "Bak-Anime 2019 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  29. ^ "Bak-Anime 2022 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  30. ^ Torrez, Marco (22 May 2022). "Bak-Anime returns to Bakersfield with thousands of fans flooding the Kern County Fairgrounds". KGET. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Bak-Anime 2023 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2023-06-13.

External links

35°20′35″N 119°0′27″W / 35.34306°N 119.00750°W / 35.34306; -119.00750

List of anime conventions in North America
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