Enchanticon 2025

In Mid-August, I attended Enchanticon in St. Louis, Missouri at the historic Union Station. Enchanticon is a small three day event that celebrates different fantasy universes focusing mostly on books and Table Top Role Playing Games.

Registration started at 9 am on Friday morning and was very organized. We didn’t have to wait long to get our badges. The line was split into two categories, GA and VIP. We had the GA pass.

Registration, customer service, and the marketplace were all in the same space, so next we went shopping. There were some great booths with amazingly talented artists. I was a bit disappointed to see a bag store selling items with obviously AI-generated images. I’m hoping that in the future, Enchanticon can better screen the vendors they accept at their convention.

Because of the open layout, tourists and other hotel guests were wandering into the convention space without a badge. I’m not sure if this was a convention staff or hotel security issue, but as a convention attendee, it was disappointing to see people wander in for free when I had just paid over $190 for my weekend badge. Throughout the full weekend, I was only badge checked once on Saturday night for the ball. We spent the rest of the day attending a few panels and exploring the venue doing photoshoots. 

Union Station has a unique layout after being renovated into a hotel and tourist destination. It has some amazing locations for pictures. We used the Enchanticon 20% off discount code on the Aquarium and Carousel! This was an awesome benefit for the convention to have. There was also a mirror maze, selfie express, ropes course, Ferris wheel, and mini golf, which we did not have time for on this trip. Maybe next time! We ended our day in the Grand Hall, having drinks at the bar and watching the amazing light shows on the ceiling. 

On Saturday we did photoshoots, went to panels, and checked out the aquarium. The fashion show and ball were the two big things I was looking forward to on Saturday! The Sophistiqué Fantasy Fashion Show featured Miss Moss Creations, Designer Daddy, and Fantastique Collection x Nephi Garcia. The Rogue Gown with matching corset is my favorite of the Chapter One Collection.

The ball was very well attended, I loved seeing everyone's outfits and creative takes on the theme! I am glad we got in line for drinks early! Despite having 4 bars in the room, the lines stayed pretty long. Luckily, water stations were set up and easily accessible. I do wish the DJ played a wider variety of songs. I know my friends and I were waiting for some more “traditional” (like Bridgerton) ball songs. Outside the ballroom, there was a photoshoot space, live painting, and a 360 video station.

On Sunday, the only big thing I had planned was watching the cosplay contest. It was definitely a more casual contest than what I’m used to. The contestants were interviewed on stage, but I’m not sure if there was any prejudging. The judges were one of the con chairs, a cosplayer, and someone from marketing. I could not find much information about the contest or judges on the Enchanticon website. 

Overall, I really enjoyed my weekend at Enchanticon! The venue was pretty amazing with lots to do and so many great food options on site. All of the convention staff I talked to were enthusiastic and friendly. I can’t wait to see how this convention grows and hope to be back in the future!