Comic-Con 2018 Parties

Holy shart, Batman, the Con kicks off next week and if you don’t have tickets to one of the biggest cultural gatherings in the world, no sweat, because there are plenty of on-site activations, cosplayers, and, more importantly, Comic-Con 2018 parties to check out, or crash. While NERD HQ and Heroes Brew Fest (sadly) won’t be returning, there are plenty of off-site after-parties happening in and around the Gaslamp area of San Diego.

Here’s an ever-growing list of Comic-Con parties (with help from The Hollywood Reporter.) Be sure to check back, yo.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 (PREVIEW NIGHT)

• Rotten Tomatoes Bash. 7-10 p.m., Bar 207 at the Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave. Invitation only.

• SDCC. 2 Blog 2 Furious. San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog’s annual party. 6-9 p.m., McFadden’s Pub, 731 Fifth Ave. Open to public. Free.

• COMICKAZE LIBERTY STATION ARTIST’S ALLEY II. Join Comikaze Liberty Station as they host the 2nd annual Artist’s Alley II, an offsite selection of artists, publishers, and vendors. Tables will be open 11am -6pm daily, Weds 7/18 though Sunday 7/22.

• BIRCH AQUARIUM PRESENTS “ODDITIES.” Birch Aquarium in La Jolla launches a comic book-inspired exhibit, Oddities: Hidden Heroes of the Scripps Collections, on June 29. The exhibit will be open through SDCC. The aquarium is open daily from 9AM – 5PM.

• KEVIN WORKMAN FOUNDATION’S PREVIEW NIGHT UNDERGROUND KICK-OFF PARTY. Back for the third year, support local artists and join friends of the Kevin Workman Foundation at KAVA Lounge on Wednesday, July 18, to celebrate Comic-Con 2018. This event is 21+. Tickets are $15 and available on Picatic.

• READY PARTY ONE AT FLUXX. Nerds Like Us, Damn Good Shindig, Nerdbot, and The Flux Capacitors invite you to one of the biggest Comic Con 2018 parties at The Oasis at Fluxx Nightclub from 8pm to midnight.

THURSDAY, JULY 19  

• Wired Cafe. The annual industry and party lounge returns to San Diego. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Daily. Free.

• CBLDF Party. Sponsored by ComiXology and Boom Studios, with a special gallery display from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. 8 p.m. Westgate Hotel, 1055 Second Avenue. Open to public. $20.

• ROCKET LEAGUE’S THIRD BIRTHDAY PARTY AT PETCO PARK. Rocket League moves to Petco Park for it’s 3rd birthday celebration, to be held on Thursday, July 19, from 3pm to 9pm. 

• MONDO’S CON-TIKI MUG PARTY. MONDO, Plantation Rum, and False Idol present a Con-Tiki Mug Party on Thursday, July 19, from 6:30-10pm at False Idol tiki bar. Cost is $25

• RAVE OF THRONES / KRISTIAN NAIRN DJ SET. Returning for the 3rd year, Kristian Nairn (AKA Hodor from Game of Thrones) brings his live DJ set to Omnia Nightclub. Tickets are $20 for general admission

• Alpha Book Club Happy Hour where avid readers and book club fans can chat and hang with hosts Maude Garrett, Hector Navarro, and Rachel Heine. Sparks Gallery 530 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101. Thursday, July 19, from 7pm to 9pm. 

• The Alpha After Dark Party with The Kraken Rum will also feature famed graphic artists Tom Hodges and Tony Parker, who will offer attendees the opportunity to receive personalized Kraken-inspired portraits. Fluxx Thursday, July 19, from 9pm to 1am. 

FRIDAY, JULY 20

• SYFY annual party. If you’re a fan of SYFY, party with the network Friday and Saturday night. 9 p.m., Children’s Museum, 200 W Island Ave. Open to public, First-come, first-served.

• Warner Bros. TV cocktail media mixer. 7-9 p.m., Float Rooftop Bar at the Hard Rock 207 Fifth Ave. Invitation only.

• Robo Rhythm, hosted by Legendary Television, in partnership with Nerdist, will offer invite-only guests an evening that’s out of this world at Nerdist’s annual Comic-Con Industry Party. Oxford Social Club Invitation only.

• IMDboat Party. Sponsored by Atom Tickets, hosted by Kevin Smith. Fifth Avenue landing, behind the Convention Center. 7:30-10:30 p.m. RSVP required.

• IGN party. Sponsored by Amazon Studios’ Jack Ryan. 8 p.m., Andaz Rooftop, 600 F St. Invitation only, RSVP required.

• 4TH ANNUAL CHICANO-CON. Border X Brewing hosts their 4th Annual Chicano-Con from Friday through Sunday, 1PM to 8PM daily. This is a comic and music event that highlights the works of Latino artists.

SATURDAY, JULY 21

• WOMEN IN COMICS 5TH ANNUAL SDCC COMICS & COCKTAILS PARTY. Join the Women in Comics Collective International for their 5th annual reception at Monello restaurant in Little Italy, Saturday 7/21 at 7:45pm.

• 3rd Annual TruTV’s Impractical Jokers block party. On Saturday, July 21, from 11:30am to 8:30pm, join truTV and thousands of fans at the 3rd annual Impractical Jokers Block Party extravaganza. The block party inside of Petco Park will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

• Bill Prady’s annual League of Extraordinary Nerds party. 3-7 p.m., Pool Club at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. RSVP required.

• 20th Century Fox TV, FX and Fox cocktail reception. 7 p.m., Craft + Commerce, 675 Beech St. Invitation only, RSVP required.

• Entertainment Weekly‘s closing night celebration is the Oscars of Comic Con 2018 parties. The star-filled affair starts at 9 p.m. at Float at the Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave. Invitation only, RSVP required.

• Bizarre States 200th Episode Party hosted by Jessica Chobot and Andrew Bowser on Saturday night, July 21^st. Celebrate the mysterious and spooky with music curated by IHEARTCOMIX and Nerdist House DJ Franki Chan, food, beverages, and more surprises thematically inspired by the paranormal show. Sparks Gallery 530 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101.