After a six-year hiatus, ICON Durban has made a triumphant return, bringing together fans of comics, gaming, cosplay and pop culture for a two-day celebration at Westville Girls’ High School in KwaZulu-Natal.
A Comeback Years in the Making
The last ICON in Durban was held in 2019, and organizers felt it was time to revive the convention in 2025 — coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the first ICON Durban.
Stuart Hobbs, from the organizing committee, described the convention as a gathering point for “fans and creators across multiple platforms and genres, including tabletop gaming, cosplay, comics, anime, pop culture, and all things geek.”
Shelley Kirby, director of ICON Durban, spoke to the convention’s origins and growth: from humble beginnings in a school hall (with around 700 attendees) to a peak of about 1,300 in 2019 — and hopes that 2025 will scale even larger.
Kirby and her team opted, for this comeback year, to de-emphasize a formal cosplay competition and instead focus on encouraging new cosplayers to join in and on the communal, social aspects of the event.
What Attendees Could Expect
From Saturday, October 4 to Sunday, October 5, the halls of Westville Girls’ High were buzzing.
Many attendees rocked intricate and inspired costumes, from anime characters to gaming heroes.
Events and tournaments for Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer, among others, were featured — with demo decks, learn-to-play sessions, and even free miniature sets for newcomers.
My Daughter and I got to learn how to play the Trading Card game from the good folk at the Big Bang Store. This was something we struggled with for some time. Having that human interaction was far more enjoyable than watching some random video on the net.
Vendors
There was a good hall of vendors for the re-inauguration of Icon, with the standout vendors like Project Mayhem and Pana Studios bringing that high end merch to use Durbanites.
From figurines, custom dice, 3D-printed collectibles, comic books, and handcrafted items, there was something for every hobbyist’s shelf. Let’s not forget those fan favourite Labubu’s
Doors opened early — 9 a.m. on both days — and tickets were affordable: R80 per day, R120 for a weekend pass, with free entry for children under six years.
Impact Beyond the Convention Walls
ICON Durban 2025 didn’t just deliver for fans; it also made waves in tourism and local economic activity. The convention drew visitors from across the country and put Durban on the map as a destination for geek culture and pop-culture tourism.
A Weekend to Remember
By the end of the weekend, the buzz was unmistakable. Hundreds of people passed through, many families joined in, and the community element was as central as the spectacle.
For many, it wasn’t just about fandom — it was about connection, joy, and proving to the wider world that Durban has a vibrant, creative, passionate geek community. For me, this was the best part, just meeting like minded people and talking about the fandoms we love the most.
Hopefully, ICON continues yearly from here; its 2025 edition has laid strong foundations — a reboot with heart, ambition, and a reminder that geeks, gamers, and creators have a home in KZN.
