By ARABELLA SERATA
Special to the PARADE
Lighthouse Matsuri is a weekend of anime-themed fun for convention goers in the Rio Grande Valley. The event will be held at the Port Isabel Events and Cultural Center Jan. 25 & 26 as well as a special preview on Jan. 24 at Holiday Inn Resort on South Padre Island for early guests.
Attendees can pick up their badges early from 3-8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Resort on Jan. 24. There, the weekend kicks off with an early Pajama party from 6-10 a.m. The Yokai Island Market and Maid Cafe will be open from 4-10 p.m. A Quantic Beach Music Fest is also slated from 4-10 p.m. as well as all-night gaming from 8 p.m.-4 a.m.
At the event’s main attraction in PI on Jan. 25 & 26, guests can expect to see appearances by voice actors from popular anime and video games as well as artists, vendors and other live performances. On Saturday, registration, pictures and autographs will be from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The artist and vendor market, panels and performances, and Lo-Fi lounge will run from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. On Sunday, registration for the day’s activities will be from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Pictures and autographs are slated for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The artist and vendor market, panels and performances, and Lo-Fi lounge will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Johnny Zamora, event organizer, said Lighthouse Matsuri will also offer social media branding, networking and workshops.
“This isn’t just a fan convention. This event speaks to the people wanting an unforgettable weekend,” said Zamora.
Tickets can be purchased on the official website, lighthousematsuri.com. Children ages ten and under can enter for free. Students, ages 11-17, can get a weekend pass for $11.49. Regular weekend passes cost $48.24. Passes only for Saturday or Sunday will cost $27.24. A Constellation, or family bundle, cost $105.99. This includes two-weekend passes and four kids passes. The Supernova VIP bundle consists of a private Friday night mixer with headliner guests and early, priority access to the event, panels and lines, a VIP badge branded lanyard, and a goodie tote with themed accessories. This includes a shirt, beanie, a nobori flag, peeker and a 10% discount on exclusive merch and one food tent meal.
The Holiday Inn resort is at 100 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island. For more information and booking, call (956) 426-9066. The Port Isabel Event and Cultural Center located is at 309 E Railroad Avenue, Port Isabel.
For more information on Lighthouse Matsuri and updates leading up to the event, follow the official Lighthouse Matsuri Instagram and Facebook pages or visit their website: lighthousematsuri.com.