VidCon 2023: Squishmellow Pits and Celebrity Sightings

CREATOR NEWSLETTER


Oh, the joys of VidCon. If you aren’t packed in an Anaheim hotel elevator with kids and families—some in “Minecraft” merch, others in Mickey Mouse ears—are you really experiencing VidCon? 

VidCon is the go-to convention for video creators to meet fans, rub shoulders with brands, and party. It’s littered with marketing folks and companies selling merch, food, and more. Daily panels allow creators to learn more established folks’ tips, tricks, and insights. It takes place in Anaheim every summer, with a new convention added in Baltimore in September 2023.

I hopped on a plane at LAX and then endured a one-and-a-half-hour car trip to the happiest place on Earth. We whisked away to our first event of the weekend: Tubefilter and Amaze’s K-1 race track event. The VIP lounge was great if you don’t mind selfie sticks, pageant moms, go-karts whizzing past, and four brands of free cheap beer. But the event had a charm, with many industry folks, creators, media mavens, and families milling around—and a dance battle outside with a DJ blasting something that sounded like a PG T-Pain song. 

Today, the convention floor is PACKED with an unbelievable amount of teens and tweens in cosplay and gaming merch. We started the day strong with children in selfie-stick-adorned helmets jumping into a Squishmallow pit. Please, dear God, let us not repeat the mistakes of TwitchCon 2022.

The line for the shopping center on the convention floor wrapped in zigzags around the building, with tired parents and kids trying to get the latest squishes, toys, shirts, and other merch from “Minecraft” star Dream or “Roblox” stars KREW (or whoever the kids are watching these days).

And you’ll never guess who showed up.


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