Arkansas Anime Festival

Arkansas Anime Festival
StatusActive
GenreAnime[1][2]
VenueFour Points by Sheraton Bentonville
Location(s)Bentonville, Arkansas
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2007[1]
Attendance1,208 in March 2012[3]
Websitehttp://arkansasanimefestival.com/

Arkansas Anime Festival (A2F) is an annual three-day anime convention held in June/July at the Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville in Bentonville, Arkansas. It is the largest anime convention in the state of Arkansas and is family friendly.[4][5][6]

Programming

The convention typically offers an artists alley, a dance, live action role-playing game, masquerade, panels, tabletop gaming, a vendor room, video games.[5][6]

History

For several years the convention happened two times per year.[4][6] The March 2010 event had a free party before the convention.[5] Arkansas Anime Festival 2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8]

Event history

Dates Location Atten. Guests
November 17, 2007 Cosmopolitan Hotel
Fayetteville, Arkansas		Samantha Inoue-Harte[9]
May 24, 2008 Holiday Inn Northwest Arkansas
Springdale, Arkansas		1,121Tiffany Grant, Samantha Inoue-Harte, and Dominic Vitucci.[10]
November 8–9, 2008 Holiday Inn
Springdale, Arkansas		1,056Johnny Yong Bosch, Samantha Inoue-Harte, and Dominic Vitucci.[11]
April 25, 2009 Cosmopolitan Hotel
Fayetteville, Arkansas		Kyle Hebert, Samantha Inoue-Harte, and Dominic Vitucci.[12]
November 20–22, 2009 Cosmopolitan Hotel
Fayetteville, Arkansas		Juli Erickson, Samantha Inoue-Harte, and Grant James.[13]
March 6–7, 2010 Clarion Hotel & Conference Center
Bentonville, Arkansas		Christopher Ayres, Todd Haberkorn, Vic Mignogna, Wendy Powell, and Maria Vu.[14]
November 20–21, 2010 Clarion Hotel & Conference Center
Bentonville, Arkansas		900[6]Robert Axelrod, Richard Epcar, Samantha Inoue-Harte, and Dominic Vitucci.[15]
March 5–6, 2011 Clarion Hotel & Conference Center
Bentonville, Arkansas		DJ Azrael, Eric Benton, Eric Burton, Spike Spencer, and John Swasey.[16]
December 2–4, 2011 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		Jillian Coglan, Samurai Dan Coglan, and Mike McFarland.[17]
March 16–18, 2012 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		1,208DJ Azrael, Eric Benton, Eric Burton, and Sonny Strait.[3]
November 16–18, 2012 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		Jillian Coglan, Samurai Dan Coglan, Samantha Inoue-Harte, Greg Wicker, and Tom Wyner.[18]
April 5–7, 2013[19] Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas
March 14–16, 2014 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		Chris Bevins, Samantha Inoue-Harte, Rachel Robinson, and J. Michael Tatum.[20]
December 12–14, 2014 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		Leah Clark, Samantha Inoue-Harte, Kazha, Jad Saxton,[21] and Jessica Calvello.[22]
May 29–31, 2015 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		Darrel Guilbeau, David Vincent, and Lisle Wilkerson.[23]
May 27–29, 2016 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		Rachael Messer and Austin Tindle.[24]
November 18–20, 2016 Holiday Inn Springdale / Fayetteville Area
Springdale, Arkansas		Samantha Inoue-Hart, Guy Michel, Phil Parsons, and Chris Patton.[25]
May 26–28, 2017 Fort Smith Convention Center
Fort Smith, Arkansas		Leah Clark and Kazha.[26]
November 10–12, 2017 DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Bentonville
Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville
Bentonville, Arkansas		Samantha Inoue-Hart[27]
June 29 - July 1, 2018 DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Bentonville
Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville
Bentonville, Arkansas		DJ Azrael, Fighting Dreamers Productions, Jeremy Inman, and Kazha.[28]
June 21-23, 2019 DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Bentonville
Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville
Bentonville, Arkansas		Aaron Roberts[29]
June 17-19, 2022 Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville
Bentonville, Arkansas		Kyle Jones, John Swasey, and Barry Yandell.[30]
July 14-16, 2023 Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville
Bentonville, Arkansas		Josh Martin, Phil Parsons, and Chris Rager.[31]
June 7-9, 2024 Four Points by Sheraton Bentonville
Bentonville, Arkansas		Tiffany Grant, Krystal LaPorte, Patrick Pedraza, and Aaron Roberts.[32]

References

  1. ^ a b Moss, Teresa (November 21, 2010). "Anime Festival Attracts Young Fans". Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Archived from the original on December 17, 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  2. ^ Ketz, Ashley (March 18, 2012). "Arkansas Anime Festival Comes to Town". KFSM/KXNW. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Arkansas Anime Festival 2012 March Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  4. ^ a b Caine, Shannon (March 18, 2010). "Otaku In The Ozarks". thefreeweekly. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "Arkansas Anime Festival". thefreeweekly. March 4, 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Millar, Lindsey (November 22, 2010). "Plenty of pocky and cosplay at Arkansas Anime Festival". Arkansas Times. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival postpone". Arkansas Anime Festival Facebook. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2020 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.
  9. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2007 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  10. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  11. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2008 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  12. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  13. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2009 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  14. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  15. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2010 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  16. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  17. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2011 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  18. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2012 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  19. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2013 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  20. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  21. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2014 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  22. ^ "It's time for the Arkansas Anime Festival in Springdale!". KHBS/KHOG-TV. September 4, 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  23. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2015 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  24. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  25. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2016 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  26. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival: The River Valley Edition 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  27. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival: Northwest Edition 2017 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  28. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2018 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  29. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2019 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  30. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2022 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  31. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2023 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  32. ^ "Arkansas Anime Festival 2024 Information". AnimeCons.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.

36°20′10″N 94°12′29″W / 36.33611°N 94.20806°W / 36.33611; -94.20806