Japan's "Wonder Festival" figure exhibition heads to the US for the first time in partnership with MomoCon 2026

“Wonder Festival,” the world’s largest and most influential festival for figures and garage kits, is officially coming to the United States for the first time.

The event’s organizers have announced a new collaboration with “MomoCon,” one of North America’s largest pop culture conventions, to host “Wonder Festival at MomoCon” in May 2026.

“Wonder Festival” (or “WonFes”) first began in 1985.

It has grown into a massive event in Japan where professional manufacturers and amateur sculptors alike gather to exhibit and sell their latest creations, making it a pivotal event for the global figure-collecting community.

While the festival has recently expanded with events in Bangkok, Korea, and Shanghai, this marks its first-ever event in North America.

This new collaboration aims to create a new international space that directly connects Japanese and American creators and fans.

“MomoCon” is one of the fastest-growing conventions in the US, with an expected attendance of over 60,000 people.

It was chosen as the partner for this new venture because of its similar history to Wonder Festival; both events began as smaller, fan-driven gatherings and have grown into massive, professional-scale celebrations of pop culture.

In a statement, Wonder Festival Committee Representative Shuichi Miyawaki said:

“The event that began in 1985… is finally holding an event in America. I look forward to seeing ‘garage kit’ culture spread to creators and fans around the world.”

The “Wonder Festival at MomoCon” will be a dedicated area within the main convention, spanning 4,600 to 9,300 square meters.

The full event details are as follows:

Event Name: Wonder Festival at MomoCon
Dates: Thursday, May 21 – Sunday, May 24, 2026
Location: Georgia World Congress Center (within MomoCon), Atlanta, GA
Planned Content:
- Exhibits from major Japanese and international figure/model makers.
- An exhibition and sales area for garage kit and artisan toy creators.
- Limited-edition collections and special cultural display projects.

More information, including details on how to exhibit, is scheduled to be released on the official Wonder Festival US website soon.