Five Comic-Con Events You Can Enjoy Without a Badge

It’s all about Comic-Con this month, thanks to the arrival of the annual event at San Diego Convention Center. The entire city is buzzing with pop-ups, activities, talks, exhibits, and concerts surrounding Comic-Con. Over 130,000 people attend each year, but if you weren’t able to get your hands on a badge, you can still participate in the fun! With so much going on around town, we’ve narrowed down five Comic-Con events you can enjoy without an entry pass.

2019 United League of Fighters Lightsaber Battle

Join the biggest lightsaber battle in the galaxy at the Balboa Park Fountain on Saturday, July 20 at 8 p.m. Bring your young Jedis to unleash the power of the Force at this family-friendly get-together, where you can catch choreographed performances from local lightsaber clubs. This event is open to the public and admission is free.

Location: Three miles from the hotel

Comic-Con International 2019 Art Show

Peruse artwork at the Comic-Con International 2019 Art Show, returning to the Grand Hall CD in Manchester Grand Hyatt from Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21. Don’t miss out on your chance to purchase work from your favorite comic, entertainment, and sketch artists. This event is open to the public and does not require a badge to enter.

Location: Four miles from the hotel

Nerdvania

Come check out the Nerdvania pop-up shop at the Tiki Room in Atomic, located in downtown San Diego. Stop in July 17-21 to browse and buy collectibles, vinyl toys, autographed comic books, and other niche goodies. Be sure to enter the raffle for a chance to win a 24k Funko Pop! Gold Batman ($300 value).

Location: Four miles from the hotel

Comic-Con Bar Crawl

Dress up as your favorite character and join the wacky and wild Comic-Con Bar Crawl in downtown San Diego, held on both Friday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m. Your ticket cost will cover entry to all venues, one free drink or shot, and drink discounts at each location. Save the world — or destroy it — one drink at a time, dressed as your favorite fandom characters.

Location: Four miles from the hotel

Ready Party One

Head to The Oasis for Ready Party One, the legendary after-party hosted at Fluxx Nightclub. This year the party will be held on Wednesday, July 17 from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Mingle with members of all fandom (ages 21 and up), enjoy celebrity guest appearances, and experience unbridled nostalgia with the official “Back to The Future” band, The Flux Capacitors.

Location: Six miles from the hotel

 

During the entire month, you can also enjoy Comic-Con wrapped San Diego trolley cars around town. For the annual makeover, some of the 2019 cars are sporting a Spongebob Squarepants theme. See if you can spot them around the city.

Book your stay at Days Inn San Diego Hotel Circle Near SeaWorld and enjoy the fun of Comic-Con International San Diego without the traffic! Conveniently located six miles from San Diego Convention Center, our Mission Valley location is ideal for attending the event — or simply your next trip to San Diego.