What it was like
Somebody decided that the biggest pop-culture week in the country shouldn't make you choose between where you're from and what you love. So for the fifth year running, a Filipino kitchen in the Gaslamp becomes a fandom headquarters — three nights where the artists' tables, the music, and the food all belong to the same people. You walk in and the room already knows you: FilAm illustrators selling original work off the table, fans who grew up on both anime and adobo, a crowd that doesn't need anything explained. Thursday is Sketch & Scratch — live drawing and music, with original pieces you can buy on the spot. Friday is a meet-and-greet with a free signing. Saturday is the mixer, special guests, the night everyone stays late. No badge required. Nothing to buy at the door. Just a place that decided this community deserved a center during the week the whole world is watching San Diego. Lumpia Con 5 runs Thursday July 23 through Saturday July 25, 2026, nightly from 7pm at Gaslamp Lumpia Factory, 423 F St, San Diego, CA 92101. Free to attend all three nights.