# Bak-Anime

Bak-Anime is an annual two-day anime convention held at the Kern County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield, California by the staff of SacAnime. The convention is the sister conventions to the Bakersfield Comic Con, Sacramento Comic, Toy and Anime Show (Sac-Con), and SacAnime.

## Programming

The convention typically offers an artists’ alley, card game tournaments, cosplay contest, dealer's room, and a swap meet.

## History

The convention began due to the requests of fans from the Bakersfield Comic Con. Bak-Anime in winter 2013 moved to the Bakersfield Marriott due to growth and for the fall 2013 event expanded to two days. The expansion in the fall was considered a risk due to the increased costs of events run at that time of the year. The convention returned to one day in June 2014, and re-expanded to two days in January 2015. The 2019 event occupied two of the Kern County Fairgrounds buildings. Bak-Anime 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bak-Anime 2021 was also cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

### Event history

| Dates | Location | Atten. | Guests |
| May 2, 2010 | Doubletree Hotel Bakersfield Bakersfield, California | | Katie Bair and Liam O'Brien. |
| January 23, 2011 | Doubletree Hotel Bakersfield Bakersfield, California | | Stephanie Lesniak, Billy Martinez, and Vic Mignogna. |
| April 22, 2012 | Doubletree Hotel Bakersfield Bakersfield, California | 1,100 | Laura Bailey, Billy Martinez, and Travis Willingham. |
| January 20, 2013 | Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center Bakersfield, California | 1,400 (est) | Ivy Doomkitty, Billy Martinez, Roger Craig Smith, and Nate Watson. |
| November 2–3, 2013 | Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center Bakersfield, California | | Akai SKY, Jennifer Hale, Liam O'Brien, and Sam Riegel. |
| June 22, 2014 | Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center Bakersfield, California | | Trina Nishimura and Brina Palencia. |
| January 24–25, 2015 | Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center Bakersfield, California | around 1,400 (est) | Christine Marie Cabanos, Kyle Hebert, and Cristina Vee. |
| February 6–7, 2016 | Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center Bakersfield, California | | Johnny Yong Bosch, Eyeshine, Tony Fleecs, Ali Hillis, and Kyle Hebert, Roger Jackson. |
| February 25–26, 2017 | Kern County Fairgrounds Bakersfield, California | around 3,500 (est) | Karan Ashley, Walter E. Jones, Cherami Leigh Danielle McRae, Vic Mignogna, and David Yost. |
| February 3–4, 2018 | Kern County Fairgrounds Bakersfield, California | | Feodor Chin, Liam O'Brien, Josh Petersdorf, and David Yost. |
| February 2–3, 2019 | Kern County Fairgrounds Bakersfield, California | | Kellen Goff, Kenny James, Neil Kaplan, Vic Mignogna, and Tara Sands. |
| May 21-22, 2022 | Kern County Fairgrounds Bakersfield, California | | Mela Lee, Vic Mignogna, Sarah Natochenny, Alicyn Packard, Nate Watson, Ezra Weisz, Joe Zieja, and James Mathis III. |
| May 20-21, 2023 | Kern County Fairgrounds Bakersfield, California | | Laila Berzins, Brook Chalmers, Ian James Corlett, Tony Fleecs, Josey McCoy, Patrick Pedraza, and Dina Sherman. |
| June 1-2, 2024 | Kern County Fairgrounds Bakersfield, California | | A.J. Beckles, Griffin Burns, Sean Chiplock, Doug Erholtz, Chris Hackney, Anairis Quiñones, Christopher Corey Smith, Karen Strassman, and Dan Woren. |