Let’s Glow! BART Anime Festival returns bigger and better on September 19

BART's Let's Glow! BART Anime Festival returns to Warm Springs/South Fremont Station for a celebration of anime, art, music, cosplay and transit fandom. This year's free festival will be bigger and better than ever, following a huge turnout of more than 4,000 attendees last year!

The festival celebrates the shared fandom of anime and transit, with an expanded lineup of artists, performances, food, cosplay, and more.

Get to know BART's anime mascots at bart.gov/anime.

Details

• What: Let's Glow! BART Anime Festival
• When: Saturday, September 19, 4pm to 9pm
• Where: Warm Springs/South Fremont Station
• RSVP on Eventbrite at letsglowfestival.eventbrite.com. Not required but helps us get a headcount.
• Free to attend

What to expect

• Artist Alley: More than 100 artists will sell a mix of BART, anime-, and transit-themed art, along with their own original artwork. Check back for the full catalog in the coming weeks.
• Music and performances: AniClover will DJ all night, and SanFlare will perform wotagei, a high-energy style of synchronized fan dancing. SanFlare will also teach attendees the official BART wotagei dance.
• Special Youtaite concert: An exclusive VTuber concert produced by Neon Shrine featuring J-pop and Vocaloid cover artists JubyPhonic, Rachie, and Lizz Robinett
• Railgoods: Shop BART and BART anime mascot merchandise, including new and exclusive products available at the festival. Find our current BART anime merch here.
• Food truck village: Boba + exclusive drinks, desserts, and an array of cuisines from food trucks across the Bay Area.

• Trinket & freebie trading: Gachapon Pals will be managing tables for freebies, trinket trading, and stamps! Bring your trinkets to trade, freebies to share, and collect exclusive event stamps!

• Itasha cars - APPLICATIONS OPEN: More than 50 anime-themed cars and vehicles will be on display. Sign up for itashas through Dreamscape here.

• Community tables - APPLICATIONS OPEN: BART is looking for local fan clubs (of all kinds), community fan events/spaces, BART fan projects, transit operators, or public services to table at the event. You must be able to table for the required time (4pm to 7:30pm; optional tabling hours are 7:30pm to 9pm). Tabling at this event is free. Apply here.

Cosplay and win prizes

Start planning your outfit now! This year we are hosting a cosplay contest with prizes, including a special category for anyone cosplaying as one of BART's anime mascots. See the cosplay contest details and guidelines here.

Cosplay seminar: Crafty Sorceress will answer your cosplay questions and show attendees how to dress as BART's anime mascots. Check out their cosplay guides for Baylee, Nimbus, Jasmine and Mira.

No prop weapons: This event has a zero-tolerance policy for prop weapons of any kind and material. Leave them at home.

Take BART to Let's Glow! and receive exclusive giveaway

Parking at Warm Springs/South Fremont Station will be extremely limited, so attendees are encouraged to park at nearby BART stations and take BART to the festival. Free parking is available at Fremont and Union City stations, and paid parking is available at Milpitas and Berryessa/North San Jose stations. Learn more about parking at nearby BART stations.

As a special bonus, anyone who takes BART to the event can receive an exclusive BART anime giveaway.

Come celebrate anime, art, music, cosplay and transit fandom with thousands of fellow fans. Let's Glow!