Events
BART's free anime festival fills Warm Springs station Saturday
Let's Glow! runs 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 19 at Warm Springs/South Fremont. Parking at the station is nearly gone, so ride in.
BART's Let's Glow! anime festival runs from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Warm Springs/South Fremont station in Fremont. It is free, and there is nothing to buy at the gate.
The one piece of planning that matters: do not drive to Warm Springs. BART says parking at the station will be extremely limited. Park free at the Fremont or Union City stations, or pay to park at Milpitas or Berryessa/North San Jose, and ride in. Anyone who arrives by BART can pick up an exclusive anime giveaway.
More than 4,000 people came last year, and the agency has widened the lineup since.
Artist Alley. One hundred artists will sell BART, anime and transit art alongside their own original work. BART asks people to arrive with a list of the tables they want and a payment method ready, to keep the lines moving.
Music. AniClover will DJ. SanFlare will perform wotagei, a high-energy style of synchronized fan dancing, and will teach the official BART wotagei routine. Local DJs chiii, DJ AJL, Spiritsnare with Majoriin from Trademark, Kataoka, Capturelight and DatGai run tunes through the night.
The concert. A VTuber set produced by Neon Shrine features the J-pop and Vocaloid cover artists JubyPhonic, Rachie and Lizz Robinett. It starts at 7:15 p.m. on the Neon Stage, and BART asks that nobody line up before 7 p.m.
Cosplay. There is a contest with prizes, including a category for anyone dressed as one of BART's own anime mascots, Baylee, Nimbus, Jasmine or Mira. A cosplay seminar at 6 p.m. on the Neon Stage covers how to build those looks. One rule is firm: zero tolerance for prop weapons of any kind or material. There is no peace-bonding station, so leave them at home.
Everything else. A food truck village with boba, exclusive drinks and desserts. Anime-wrapped itasha cars on display. A manga truck with free manga to read on site. Trinket trading, freebies and event stamps. An indie game showcase from BAD Collective. Community tables from conventions and fan clubs, including FanimeCon, OffKai Expo, Kin-Yoobi Con, Cal Animage Alpha and Anime Destiny.
RSVPs go through Eventbrite. They are not required; BART uses them for a headcount.
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- Let's Glow! BART Anime Festival returns bigger and better on September 19 — BART
Date, 4-9 p.m. time, Warm Springs/South Fremont location, free admission, 100-artist Artist Alley, music lineup, 7:15 p.m. VTuber concert on the Neon Stage, 6 p.m. cosplay seminar, cosplay contest and mascot category, zero-tolerance prop weapon policy, food trucks, itasha cars, manga truck, indie game showcase, community tables, parking guidance and the ride-in giveaway, 4,000-plus attendance last year, Eventbrite RSVP.
- BART's anime mascots — BART
BART's anime mascots Baylee, Nimbus, Jasmine and Mira.
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