Reggio Calabria Comics

Castello Aragonese · Reggio di Calabria, Costa Viola, Calabria

16 October 2026 – 18 October 2026

Concluded event

From 16 to 18 October 2026 the Aragonese Castle in Reggio Calabria hosts the third edition of Reggio Calabria Comics, a festival of comics, illustration, cinema, animation, voice acting, gaming, cosplay and role-playing games organised by the cultural association Geo Reghium. The main change concerns access: entry is free, with no ticket required. Announced guests include actor Ross Mullan, one of the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, voice actress Guendalina Ward and artist David Bigotti. The programme features an Artist Alley, a cosplay contest, gaming areas, exhibitions and workshops.

Three days at the Aragonese Castle, 16-18 October 2026

From 16 to 18 October 2026 the Aragonese Castle in Reggio Calabria hosts the third edition of Reggio Calabria Comics, a festival devoted to comics, illustration, cinema, animation, voice acting, gaming, cosplay, role-playing games and pop culture. For three days one of the city's landmark buildings changes function: the castle's interior spaces and the square outside become a single festival area, with an open-air stage, exhibitions, stands and gaming zones.

Entry, tickets and opening times

For the 2026 edition entry to Reggio Calabria Comics is completely free: there is no ticket or day pass to buy to enter the Aragonese Castle on any of the three days. The organisers presented this as the main novelty of the year, with the aim of making the festival accessible to children, families and fans from all over Calabria and nearby Sicily.

Opening times for the three days and the detailed schedule of talks had not yet been published at the end of September. Updates are posted on the festival's official website and on its Facebook page. Anyone wishing to take part in the cosplay contest must register using the form published on the official website.

Bear in mind that free entry to a historic building with limited indoor capacity may mean queues at peak times, particularly over the weekend.

2026 programme: guests and festival areas

The first names announced for 2026 come from film, voice acting and comics. Ross Mullan, an Anglo-Canadian actor and performer, is known to a wide audience for playing one of the White Walkers in Game of Thrones. Guendalina Ward, actress and voice actress, daughter of Luca Ward and Claudia Razzi, belongs to one of the best-known families in Italian dubbing. The comics area hosts David Bigotti, known as Bigo, with a selection of works previously shown at Lucca Comics.

According to the official website the festival is organised into several areas: an Artist Alley with authors and illustrators, a cosplay contest, board games, video games, role-playing games and mystery rooms, photo zones and photo sets for cosplayers, talks and workshops, and exhibitions. Shows and talks alternate on the outdoor stage, while the Italian Army runs interactive activities. The 2026 poster, by illustrator Pasquale Ferrara, who teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts in Reggio Calabria, blends fantasy and comics imagery and is issued as a collectible postcard with Poste Italiane, a partner of the event for the third year.

The venue is not incidental

The Aragonese Castle is not merely the container for the event: it is the entry point to different narrative worlds, designed to draw in enthusiasts, families, young people, artists and visitors. Holding a pop culture festival inside a historic fortress on Piazza Castello produces a contrast that is part of the experience, and that sets Reggio Calabria Comics apart from the exhibition halls the genre is usually associated with.

What the programme includes

The line-up brings together guests, artists, exhibitions, talks, workshops, cosplay, gaming and live shows. It is a programme built on several levels: some come to meet an author, some for the cosplay contest, some to try the games, some simply accompany someone else and end up staying. In September the festival was previewed in the Galleria of Palazzo San Giorgio, with live painting, board games, card games and presentations of illustrated books: a taste of what the castle offers.

Who organises the festival

Reggio Calabria Comics is organised by the cultural association Geo Reghium, chaired by Domenico Condello, with Gianni Pipari and Pasquale Ferrara among the promoters. The event is under the patronage of the Municipality of Reggio Calabria and supported by institutions including the Regional Council of Calabria and the Metropolitan City, as well as the Academy of Fine Arts.

A festival with ambitions beyond the city

The stated aim of this edition is to strengthen the festival's standing nationally and to make Reggio Calabria a reference point for enthusiasts travelling from Calabria, Sicily and the rest of Italy. Geography helps: the Strait is a crossroads, and Messina is one ferry away.

Getting there and where to stay

The Aragonese Castle is on Piazza Castello, in the centre of Reggio Calabria, within walking distance of the Centrale station and the seafront. Visitors staying several days can look at accommodation on the Costa Viola, north along the Tyrrhenian coast, and at other events in the area in the same period.

Frequently asked questions

When is Reggio Calabria Comics 2026?

From 16 to 18 October 2026, over three days.

How much is a ticket for Reggio Calabria Comics 2026?

Nothing: for the 2026 edition entry is completely free, with no ticket or day pass required.

What are the opening times?

At the end of September opening times for the three days had not yet been published. Check the official website reggiocalabriacomics.it and the festival's Facebook page in the days before.

Where is the festival held?

At the Aragonese Castle in Reggio Calabria, Piazza Castello, in the city centre, in the interior spaces and the square outside.

Who are the announced guests?

The first names include actor Ross Mullan, one of the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, actress and voice actress Guendalina Ward and artist David Bigotti, known as Bigo.

What does the programme include?

Guests, artists, exhibitions, talks, workshops, cosplay, gaming and live shows, covering comics, illustration, cinema, animation, voice acting and role-playing games, with an Artist Alley, gaming areas and photo zones.

How do I enter the cosplay contest?

By filling in the registration form published on the festival's official website.

Is it suitable for families?

Yes: the festival is designed for enthusiasts, families, young people, artists and visitors, and free entry was chosen precisely to make it accessible to children too.

Where can I find the detailed programme?

On the festival's official website, where guests and timings are published in the preceding weeks.

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