The Ultimate Convention for Pop Culture Fans Opens to the Public for the First Time in Las Vegas

We have restaurants, shows, and slot machines, but Las Vegas is really driven by trade expos and conventions. These industry-only events are typically closed to the general public, but there's one notable exception this month. ComplexCon comes to Sin City for the first time, unfolding over two days, November 16–17, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. And yes, you're invited.

"ComplexCon combines a convention, music festival, food festival, and events like South by Southwest—and puts them all in a blender," says founder and CEO Aaron Levant."It's like Comic-Con, but instead of pop culture and entertainment as the through-line, it's fashion, sneaker culture, hip-hop music, and the food that goes along with that."

Yes, accessibility is key, but there's also an element of exclusivity. Throughout the day, the floor of ComplexCon is dominated by the Marketplace—a gathering of more than 300 brands, all selling products only available at the event. Once those items are gone, they're gone.

Sneakers are the most in demand, featuring exclusive releases from the likes of Nike, ASICS, Saucony, and more. You'll also see more than a hundred limited-edition items from various streetwear brands plus toys and other unexpected products. "You go to a mall and everyone's got the same stores with the same shit, right?" Levant continues. "So, ComplexCon is a unique mall that pops up for two days and you literally cannot find anything there online or anywhere else in the world."

The booths themselves are photo stations and interactive attractions in their own right. Be ready to snap lots of photos to share online. You may find yourself shooting hoops, playing video games, or reading tarot cards. "Nike once did a design studio where you could come in and actually make a pair of sneakers with Virgil Abloh," Levant says, recalling the late fashion icon. "That's obviously an amazing, one-of-a-kind experience."

You might meet a few famous faces on the floor, representing their own products — like Lil Yachty, for example. In many ways, ComplexCon is borrowing elements of Comic-Con in San Diego and CinemaCon in Vegas, bringing in celebrities to reveal new details on their latest business ventures and entertainment projects.

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre are special guests, promoting not only their new reunion album Missionary, but also their drink brand, Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop. The two will join Drink Champs for a live podcast recording at ComplexConversations, a series of panels off the show floor. Traditionally, the "Sneaker of the Year" discussion and presentation is the most anticipated.

Red One, a movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Chris Evans, will have a presence at the event. Fans can also sign up for a screening of the new Gladiator movie. Even the WWE has a booth, looking ahead to Wrestlemania in Las Vegas next year.

Levant built his reputation with the Agenda streetwear trade show and launched ComplexCon in 2016 with Marc Ecko of Complex, bringing the pages of the magazine to life for the world to see. The event ran for seven years in Long Beach before arriving in Vegas, where it has the space and resources to become bigger than ever.

New this year: Family Style, a food festival within the festival, featuring cult favorites from around the country and top Vegas names, including Lotus of Siam, Big B's Texas BBQ, and Sorry, Not Sorry ice cream. Foodie TikTok influencer Keith Lee was invited to put together his own local picks — Frankensons Pizzeria, Saint Honore, Buldogis and Lefty-J's Island Favorites.

The main attraction: Detroit's Supino Pizza is teaming up with the Eminem-affiliated Mom's Spaghetti for a series of special bites. "These are one-time-only exclusive dishes," Levant explains. "The same way we think about the merch, sneakers, and t-shirts is the same way we think about the food."

DJs perform on a small stage throughout the day. When evening rolls around, a wall opens up to a massive festival stage, headlined by Playboi Carti on Saturday and Travis Scott on Sunday. The latter also appeared at the inaugural ComplexCon in 2016 and was enlisted as the 2024 Artistic Director for this year's edition. Scott is in charge of Cactus Con, its own experiential section of the festival.

Ultimately, ComplexCon is about striking the right balance between commerce and creativity. There's a strong emphasis on art and culture between all the shopping and celebrating.

"The whole thing itself is just a living organism at this point," Levant says. "But right now, 150 percent of my focus is on Las Vegas."

ComplexCon It's even filtering outside the Convention Center space, teaming up with nearby Resorts World for an official after-party with Travis Scott at Zouk nightclub. The hotel is also hosting a Rhythm and Laces celebration of sneakers, music, and cigars at Eight Lounge and a live bluefin tuna carving and omakase at Fuhu.

Tickets for ComplexCon itself begin at $150 and are available online. Doors open at 9 am (or 7 am for VIP).