VidCon joins forces with Cannes Lions owner, bringing Anaheim event to an end

VidCon is joining forces with the organisation behind Cannes Lions, bringing its long-running Anaheim event to an end.

From autumn 2027, the event will instead take place in Nashville, where its industry conference and fan convention will form part of a new creator-focused offering run by LIONS.

The tie-up resolves a growing scheduling clash between the two events. VidCon and Cannes Lions have typically taken place around the same time of year, forcing attendees to choose between them.

That overlap has become more pronounced as Cannes has pushed further into the creator economy. In 2024, it launched LIONS Creators, a dedicated programme and space for the creator economy at the festival. More than 300 creators attended Cannes Lions this year, with creator-focused programming and a dedicated beachfront hub.

Launched in 2010, VidCon has traditionally occupied a different part of the market, combining an industry conference with a fan convention where attendees can meet and see panels with their favourite creators.

Simon Cook, chief executive of LIONS, said the change reflects how the industry has evolved.

“The creator economy has never moved faster or mattered more within the global marketing ecosystem. Creators are increasingly central to how culture is created and how brands connect with audiences,” he said.

He added that bringing VidCon into LIONS would allow it to "build out a dedicated global platform for an industry that's rapidly reshaping the marketing landscape."

VidCon and Cannes Lions are both owned by Informa, which acquired the former from Paramount in 2024.

Cannes Lions will continue to run its creator programme in 2027, while VidCon will also have a presence at the festival. Further details are expected later this year.