VidCon is back at the Anaheim Convention Center from June 25 to 27, and this year, the internet’s biggest creator convention turns 15.

What started in 2010 as a YouTube-centered gathering by John and Hank Green, Vidcon has become one of the largest annual meetups for online culture, bringing together creators, fans, platforms, brands, and media companies under one roof. The event now spans creator panels, meet-and-greets, live podcasts, workshops, community meetups, industry programming, and conversations about where the creator economy is headed next.

SEE ALSO: What is VidCon? Everything to know about the 2026 creator convention

The 2026 event arrives at a moment when creator culture is bigger, more fragmented, and more professionalized than ever. TikTok stars, livestreamers, podcasters, gamers, educators, entrepreneurs, and independent media companies now all fall under the same broad creator economy umbrella, and this year’s schedule reflects that shift.

Here are seven things I’m especially excited for.

Now in its second year, VidCon’s Hall of Fame gives creator culture a more formal way to recognize its own history.

This year’s inductees are content creators Markiplier, Michelle Phan, Cassey Ho, and Philip DeFranco, who represent the gaming, independent news, beauty, and fitness content lanes.

SEE ALSO: Markiplier, Michelle Phan, and more join VidCon's Hall of Fame

Their induction, taking place Thursday, June 25 at the Opening Ceremony, follows VidCon's inaugural 2025 Hall of Fame class, which included Anthony Padilla, Grace Helbig, Hank Green, and Tyler Oakley.

This year's featured creator lineup brings together legacy YouTubers, short-form stars, animators, beauty creators, gamers, performers, and internet personalities who built audiences in very different eras of the web.

Confirmed names include SSSniperwolf, The Professor, Sydney Morgan, Alex Wassabi, GloZell, Rosanna Pansino, Jasmin and James, and Tubbo.

The Expo Hall has always been where VidCon feels the most like the internet came to life, and this year, it is getting a bigger experiential push.

The 2026 Expo Hall includes exhibit booths, a Game Zone, a Sport Court, a Live Podcast Studio, Community Zone programming, Featured Creator booths, ShopSpot, Makers’ Alley, Out of the Box IRL, and the Creator TV Pickleball Arena.

There is also an entire section for GorillaCon, a dedicated space for the Gorilla Tag virtual reality game community that goes well beyond a standard gaming activation. The programming includes Gorilla Tag creator meet-and-greets, developer AMAs, music from a MixMaster Monke DJ, and sessions with Lemming, the creator of Gorilla Tag, including a look at the game's future.

One of the most interesting parts of this year's programming is the focus on the convergence of sports media and the creator economy — especially amid the current hype around the FIFA World Cup and the 2026 NBA Finals.

One event includes a Sport Court, a Creator TV Pickleball Arena, and a Creator Pickleball Tour featuring names like NichLmao, ZHC, Peet Montzingo, and Austin Sprinz. VidCon is also staging creator competition formats like Shoot for the CROWN, GeoGuessr Battle, and Creator Casino.

VidCon has always been a place where fans go to see creators, but the industry side is where you can see what platforms are really prioritizing.

This year’s speaker lineup includes executives from Twitch, Snap, Spotify, Pinterest, and Tubi, with Twitch CEO Dan Clancy set to speak on the Industry Mainstage about the future of live content. Creator economy expert Jon Youshaei is also hosting the opening day keynote, with additional speakers from major platforms expected.

There will also be panels titled names like "The Vertical Shorts Dilemma — Bubble or Boom?" and "Creator Economy State of the Union." These conversations are sure to act as temperature checks on the companies shaping platforms right now, from the top down.

Meet-and-greets remain one of VidCon's main fan draws, and this year they are split between standard Meet & Greets and separate Ultimate Meet & Greet Experiences. Eligible multi-day pass holders could sign up in advance, with VidCon, Creator, and Pro Pass holders allowed up to 4 Meet & Greets total and VidCon+ Pass holders allowed up to 5 (single-day tickets are not eligible for Meet & Greet signups). The lineup includes some of the event’s more recognizable names.

Beyond the mainstage panels and fan-facing events, VidCon is also emphasizing smaller networking formats. The Mentorship Series gives Creator and Pro Pass attendees access to first-come, first-served roundtables capped at 19 people, where attendees can ask questions and get advice from creators, marketers, tech experts, and other industry speakers. (Mashable will be hosting its own mentorship session, titled "PITCH, PLEASE: The mistakes creators make in their pitches and how to fix them," on Saturday, June 27, at 10:30 a.m. PT.)

There is also the Brand Match Accelerator, an invitation-only program for brands, agencies, and sponsors that connects them with a curated group of 200 creators. Accepted participants get access to a networking app and are guaranteed four on-site meetings with Featured Creators.

Fifteen years in, opportunities like this are what still make VidCon interesting: it's one of the few places where fans, creators, platforms, and brands all show up to see what online culture looks like...but off-screen.