UK PonyCon
Annual My Little Pony fan convention
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
UK PonyCon is an annual My Little Pony convention held in various cities across the United Kingdom organized for fans of My Little Pony. Although the con was established in 2004 (before the beginning of the brony phenomenon in 2010) intended for collectors of the My Little Pony toylines, the con has since become one of the most popular brony conventions in the world, owing to the large boost in popularity from the brony fandom. In 2024, UK PonyCon had an attendance of 1,300, the largest it has had in its 20-year history.
| UK PonyCon | |
|---|---|
Official logo for UK PonyCon | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | My Little Pony fan convention |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Inaugurated | November 2004 |
| Most recent | 3–5 October 2025 |
| Next event | 2026 |
| Attendance | 1,300 (2024) |
| Filing status | Company limited by guarantee |
| Website | https://www.ukponycon.co.uk/ |
Overview
UK PonyCon is the longest continuously running My Little Pony fan convention in the world, held annually in various cities across the United Kingdom since 2004.[1] The convention brings together fans of all ages including collectors of the toy line and enthusiasts of the animated series, particularly My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.[2] The event has grown substantially from its early years, with attendance increasing from approximately 150-200 attendees in its first few iterations to 1,300 visitors by 2024.[3]
The convention features various activities including vendor stalls selling collectibles and merchandise, discussion panels, cosplay opportunities, and themed events that change yearly.[4] For instance, the 2019 convention at Nottingham Trent University featured an "Ocean Adventure" theme with attendees dressed as nautical ponies, pirates, and cruise liners. The event typically includes 40-50 themed stalls offering everything from vintage collectibles to artwork and crafts.[1] Hasbro representatives were present at the 2012 UK PonyCon, and brought a limited-edition Friendship Is Magic Blind Bag pony.[5]
UK PonyCon attracts an international audience, with visitors traveling from countries such as Germany, France, and the Czech Republic.[4][1] The convention predates the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fandom; the demographic of attendees has evolved over time, with an increasing presence of bronies—adult male fans of the franchise—joining the traditional collector community.[4] The convention is recognized for its inclusive environment, with Sam Haines, chair of the 2019 event, noting that "It's important that niche communities have the opportunity to meet up."[4]
As with other My Little Pony fan conventions, charitable fundraising is a major part of UK PonyCon, with the event raising money for different organizations over the years. Since 2009, the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) has been the primary beneficiary, with fundraising amounts growing from £700 in 2009 to £20,000 in 2024;[3] over £100,000 has been raised in total for the RDA.[6] The convention has moved between multiple cities including Morecambe, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London, Sheffield, Brighton, Nottingham, Cardiff, and Leeds.[3]
Ewan Kirkland, a professor of screen studies at the University of Brighton, has been a regular speaker at UK PonyCon since 2013.[7]
Locations, attendances, and charity efforts by year
| Year | Dates | Location | Venue | Attendance | Charity | Amount raised |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004[3] | November 27 | Morecambe | The Platform | HAPPA | £100 | |
| 2005 | November 10–12 | Manchester | Sacha's Hotel | 300 | Starlight Childrens Foundation | £250 |
| 2006 | October 27–28 | Birmingham | Britannia Hotel | Redwings Horse Sanctuary | £1,000 | |
| 2007 | October 26–27 | Bristol | Redwood Hotel and Country Club | 150 | The Rainbow Centre | £5,000 |
| 2008 | October 10–11 | Uxbridge, London | The Barn, Brunel University | 200 | Wellchild | £5,059.91 |
| 2009 | October 23–24 | Sheffield | Megacentre | 200 | Riding for the Disabled Association | £700 |
| 2010 | October 22–23 | Birmingham | The Public, West Bromwich | 150 | £1,300 | |
| 2011 | October 21–22 | Brighton | Brighton Racecourse | 200 | £750 | |
| 2012 | October 5–6 | Nottingham | Jury's Hotel Long Eaton | £1,500 | ||
| 2013 | September 7–8 | Cardiff | Mercure Holland House Hotel and Spa | 350 | £2,000 | |
| 2014 | October 11–12 | Leicester | Mercure Leicester The Grand Hotel | 500 | £2,500 | |
| 2015 | October 10–11 | 700 | £2,500 | |||
| 2016 | October 22–23 | Leeds | The Royal Armouries | 750 | £3,000 | |
| 2017 | October 21–22 | Bristol | UWE Bristol Exhibition and Conference Centre | 800 | £6,000 | |
| 2018 | October 13–14 | Nottingham | Nottingham Conference Centre | 1,000 | £6,750 | |
| 2019 | October 12–13 | Nottingham City Campus of NTU | 950 | £11,000 | ||
| 2020 | Online only due to the COVID-19 pandemic | £3,424.47 | ||||
| 2021 | October 9–10 | Nottingham | Nottingham City Campus of NTU | 500 | Riding for the Disabled Association | £10,095 |
| 2022 | October 8–9 | 850 | £11,000 | |||
| 2023 | September 30–October 1 | 1,000 | £12,124 | |||
| 2024 | October 5–6 | 1,300 | £20,000 | |||
| 2025 | October 3–5 | Birmingham | Birmingham Conference and Events Centre | |||