AVCon

AVCon features many events and activities during the convention for attendees to take part in such as community and industry-led panels and workshops, tabletop gaming, competitions, video game and tabletop tournaments, and free play gaming.

Top attractions include the AVCon masquerade cosplay contest, quiz night and auction. AVCon has hosted a multitude of industry guests, including notable voice actors who often hold panels. AVCon has held a large variety of focus panels, workshops and events, some of which were run by fans. Numerous film and video rooms showed anime screenings that run all day and into the evening.

Much like other conventions, AVCon also features a large scale exhibit hall where attendees can purchase a variety of products from a wide range of exhibitors. This exhibit hall also features an artist alley where attendees can purchase fan-created artwork and merchandise.

AVCon began as a joint convention supported by volunteers from the University of South Australia's Adelaide Japanese Animation Society (AJAS) and the Adelaide University Video Gamers Association (AUVGA). After four successful annual conventions, Team AVCon Inc was established as an independent entity to run and sustain the annual convention.

In 2008, owing to continuing growth in attendee numbers, the convention was relocated to the Adelaide Convention Centre. This resulted in double the previous year's ticket sales, with an attendance of just over 4,000 people. In 2010, the convention was once again held at the Adelaide Convention Centre with 8,000 attendees,[3] and the numbers increased once more to an attendance of over 14,000 in 2011.[4]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the 2020 edition of AVCon was cancelled.[5] While the 2021 edition was scheduled to be held at the Morphettville Racecourse 9–11 July, it was postponed due to lockdown in South Australia. On 24 July, AVCon announced that the 2021 edition of the event had been cancelled and will not be rescheduled, citing Delta variant, restrictions on gatherings that will likely persist even after lockdown ends, and the venue already being booked through the remainder of the year for other events. Organisers stated that "the possibility that we can run a large-scale event for thousands of people at any time in the near future has all but disappeared. Even when things are under control it is likely tough restrictions will remain that will make large-scale gatherings for months to come next to impossible."[2]

Team AVCon Incorporated,[6] the parent organisation which produces AVCon, is a federal non-for-profit[7] Incorporated Association under the Associations Incorporation Act 1985. Each year, a new Elect is voted in by the membership and a Committee are appointed by the Elect from previous Elect, Committee, new and existing members.

The Rules of Association of Team AVCon Inc. state that its purpose is:

1. to organise and run:
   1. anime and video game-related conventions
   2. anime and video game-related events, and
   3. other events and/or conventions.
2. to promote community interests in Japanese culture and society,
3. to encourage the appreciation of anime and other related art forms, which include (but are not limited to) manga, video games, amateur works of written or artistic pursuit.

• Official website