Convention Information
- When is Arisia?
Arisia happens during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend: January 16-19, 2026. The convention starts Friday afternoon and runs through Monday afternoon. - Where is Arisia?
Arisia 2026 will be returning to the Hyatt Regency Boston/Cambridge, affectionately known as the Ziggurat. - What are the "hours" of the convention for programming and daytime events?
Most programming starts at 10am each day (except Friday) and the Programming Grid operates on 90-minute blocks. That's when you're likely to see higher numbers of visitors to your table. - On average, how many people attend Arisia?
That information is available on the Arisia History Page: https://corp.arisia.org/history - Is there a Dealers Room this year?
YES! - If I have questions, who do I talk to?
Your Dealers' Liaison this year is Jenn Koerber. The best way to reach Dealers Liaisons before the convention is to send e-mail to Click here to show mail address. At the convention, Jenn will give you her mobile number for text messaging and phone calls.
Dealers' Room Overview
Give me a quick overview of the Dealers' Room at the Hyatt
The Dealers Room is in a medium-sized ballroom just off the hotel lobby, next to the main Events space. The ballroom plus its pre-function room is big enough for approximately thirty-five (35) 6'-long tables, and in 2025 we had 25 Dealers and Creators there.
Because of the size of the room and number of applicants, the Dealers' Room and Creators' Corner are both juried spaces. We wish we had room for everyone, but we need to make hard decisions each year on who to accept. Thank you for understanding.
Dealers' Room is open to the public approximately these hours (final hours TBD):
- Friday, 5p - 9p
- Saturday, 10a - 7p, closed for lunch 1-2
- Sunday, 10a - 7p, closed for lunch 1-2
- Monday, 10a - 2:30p
The Dealers' Room will be secured after hours and monitored so that Dealers can set up Thursday afternoon and/or Friday morning and tear down Monday afternoon without having to disrupt their displays during the weekend.
Application and Costs
- How do I apply to be a Dealer at Arisia 2026?
After you finish reading this FAQ, please fill out the form on the Dealers' Application page. This page gives you details that will help answer some of the questions on the form, so read it first. - Does my application guarantee me a vending space at Arisia?
No, the Arisia Dealers Room is a juried venue. However, we encourage everyone to apply if they're interested because we are always looking for new vendors and different mixes of merchandise each year. While we do prioritize returning vendors, we often have Dealers who choose not to return that year.
If you are not selected, you will be placed on a Waitlist and on the mailing list for the next year's convention. We will make offers to waitlisted Dealers if we have cancellations until shortly before the convention because we don't want empty tables. - How much do the tables in the Dealers' Room cost?
Table fees for Arisia 2026 are $120 for one table or $260 for two tables. Table fees do not include convention memberships or hotel room costs. - What if I want more than two tables?
We encourage Dealers to use the fewest number of tables possible so we can accept as many Dealers as we can. If you'd like a third table, please tell us what benefit it will have for our attendees on your application and we will say yes if we can, on a case-by-case basis. - What additional costs should I expect?
In addition to table fees, each person working at the table must have their own Arisia memberships whether or not they plan to attend other Arisia activities. You can view registration costs and access the registration form at Registration page. Adult rates are currently $65 through 12/31/2025.
If you choose to stay at the hotel, you will be responsible for your own hotel room and parking costs; see the Hotel Reservations and Parking pages for details. Oversized parking is available; please request it on the application form. - May I share my space with another vendor?
Absolutely. Discuss it with them ahead of time. You will need to mention them on your application form and they will need to mention you on their application form. Both businesses' information will be published. At least one of you will need to let us know who will be responsible for paying for your shared space. - What happens after I submit my application?
If you are selected to be a vendor at Arisia, you'll receive an acceptance letter and payment instructions by the beginning of November. Once you've paid for your tables, we recommend you purchase all of your staff memberships and make your hotel reservations as soon as possible, if you haven't already.
If you haven't confirmed who will help staff your dealer space, you can purchase memberships as “Minion #n of Company X” and then provide real names for all staff to Registration no later than December 15. - What happens if I need to cancel my reservation?
If you must cancel your dealer reservation, notify us as early as possible. Refunds will be given ONLY if we are able to resell your table(s) / booth(s). Do not promise your spot to anyone else; we'll ask Dealers from the waitlist and let you know if none of them can accept. Then, if you have another in mind please let us know who it is and have them fill out the dealer application.
Technical Details
- What is the lighting like in the Dealers Room?
The lighting in the Dealers room at the Hyatt is better than the Westin. - Can I have a power outlet or power strip at my table?
If you need power at your table please tell us on the Dealer application form. In general, we will have at least one power drop per cluster of tables. We recommend that you bring at least one grounded (3 wire) extension cord or a grounded (3 wire) power strip. Please bear in mind that you will be sharing power with your neighboring dealers. - Will there be Internet in the Dealers Room?
We cannot guarantee that you will have free WiFi in the Dealers Room, but the hotel WiFi will be available for purchase. If Arisia is able to create a room-wide hot-spot we will notify you at Load-In. Please note that if WiFi is available, it will be shared by other dealers and should be used only for business purposes.
If you require a wired internet connection please contact Click here to show mail address for pricing and availability.
Load-In and Load-Out
- The Dealers Room will be open for you to start moving in at 3pm (we might start earlier if we get the room earlier) on Thursday until 9pm, and at 9am on Friday. During setup, only people with Dealer Ribbons will be able to get into the Dealers room. You get your Dealers Ribbons from the Dealers Liaison at the convention.
- If you have local people coming to help with set-up or break-down who are not staying to work nor to attend the convention please contact dealers@arisia.org ahead of time so that they can make arrangements so that your short-term helpers are not turned away at the door.
- When I get to Arisia, what procedure should I follow?
In an order of your choosing, you will need to:
- Unload and then park your car. Please remove your vehicle from the loading dock area before you begin to set up your space.
- Check in at the registration desk and pick up your badge(s). Each person must pick up their own badge. Note: On Thursday evening, Registration is open only for pre-purchased badge pickup (NO badges may be purchased on Thursday).
- Check in at the hotel desk and get your hotel room keys if you are staying at the Hyatt. Hotel check-in begins at 3pm.
- Find your Dealers Liaison, let us know you are here, get answers to any burning dealers liaison questions, and collect your dealers ribbons.
Convention Policies and Local Laws
Convention Policies
- What are the COVID-19 related policies at Arisia 2026?
Everyone working in our Dealer space at Arisia 2026 must be masked; we also strongly recommend being up to date on your COVID vaccines. For details, see the COVID statement page. - Adult Items
Due to the smaller size of the Dealers' Room at the Hyatt than previous hotels, there will not be an Adult Area at Arisia 2026. Please make sure all of your merchandise is appropriate to be viewed by even our youngest fans. - Weapons Sales
Any weapon (real or simulated) in the Arisia Dealers Room must be wrapped in cardboard and securely taped when sold.
If purchasers wish to wear weapons immediately, they must be brought to the Safety Team (Arisia security) for peace bonding. Arisia's Quick Reference will list their location. Any weapons not peace bonded must be immediately removed from the convention area (brought to the purchaser’s room / vehicle / etc.).
For more information on what weapons are illegal to carry in Massachusetts, visit the Mass General Laws site and scroll down to paragraph (b): Whoever, except as provided by law, carries on his person, or carries on his person or under his control in a vehicle.... The list is long and includes daggers, stilettos, knives with double-edged blades, and many other items that might go really well with a fantasy cosplay.
- Are there any types of merchandise I can't sell at Arisia?
Merchandise that is bootlegged/unlicensed or that might be construed to be hate-related is strictly forbidden. We will follow this procedure if we determine that you are selling this kind of merchandise:
- 1st occurrence: You will receive a warning and ordered to remove that merchandise from your display.
- 2nd occurrence: You will be removed from Arisia with NO refund.
- Can I give out free stuff?
Yes, except for stickers. The hotel contract says that bumper stickers and any other sort of sticker may not be distributed at the convention, so no free stickers advertising your business. - I'm a musician. Can I play my music at my table?
If you are selling music please provide your customers with headphones so that they can sample. The Dealers Room is too noisy to quietly play music and expect that it will be heard. - I sell scented products or food. Anything I need to do?
Yes, and thanks for asking. If you are selling fragrant merchandise, please keep it covered and allow your customers to “sniff” if they want to sample. Many Arisia attendees are allergic or medically reactive to fragrances.
Local and State Laws
- All Dealers are responsible for observing all applicable laws in the City of Cambridge and Commonwealth of Massachusetts (e.g. tax, copyright, and decency laws, etc.).
- Sales Tax
All vendors are required to have a MA Sales Tax number certificate on display in order to vend at Arisia. Arisia is required to submit a list of vendors and their tax numbers to the State. This rule applies whether your business is a MA based business or an out-of-state business. It also applies even if you are selling only items that are tax exempt in MA.
If you are a tax exempt business (e.g. 501(c)3) you must submit your tax exempt number where we ask for a tax ID.
If you need help applying for a Sales Tax ID Number, please see our page How to Apply for a Massachusetts Sales Tax ID.For more information on Massachusetts taxes, see the Department of Revenue web site or call: (617) 887-MDOR (or in-state: (800) 392-6089).
- Cambridge Bag Ban:
Cambridge has a ban on disposable shopping bags. Only recyclable paper bags and reusable bags with handles may be used by stores for purchases. However, there's an exception for nonprofits hosting "bazaars." Please see: https://www.baglaws.com/directory-laws/listing/cambridge/ for more information.
