SDCC ’25: 13th Annual PAWmicon celebrates pets & their adopters

If the Superpets are looking for new members, we know where they can recruit! On Tuesday, July 22, the Helen Woodward Animal Center and Blue Buffalo will host the 13th annual PAWmicon at Balboa Park, celebrating pets and their personal heroes: the humans who adopt them!

PAWmicon is a pop culture-themed dog cosplay spectacular that pays homage to Comic-Con International San Diego, with special events taking place in front of the Comic-Con Museum. This year’s event features three PAWSplay Competitions and a brand new, humans-only category for people who want to compete without a pet. Themes for the dog cosplay contests are “Super Heroes & Super Villains,” “Pop Culture Pets,” and “Dynamic Duos, Trios, and More…”

Check out photos from last year’s PAWmicon below.

In addition to the cosplay contests, there will be drawings for themed prizes, themed photo ops, animal art vendors, games and activities that are perfect for kids, and hundreds of people and pets in cosplay. PAWmicon is free to attend, but PAWSplay entries are $20 per pet, per category, with funds acting as donations to the Helen Woodward Animal Center. You can sign up at the event as entry spaces allow.

PAWmicon 2025 will take place at Balboa Park (near the Air & Space Museum) on Tuesday, July 22 from 5-7 p.m. PST.