‘DWTS’ announces first fan convention with past winners, pros, more (exclusive)

Have you ever wanted to attend a taping of Dancing With the Stars? The iconic ABC reality competition series is doing super-fans one better: a first-of-its kind convention dedicated to all things DWTS.

Entertainment Weekly can exclusively announce Dancing With the Stars Con 2026, the first edition of a new convention uniting past winners, fan-favorite alums, scads of pro partners, and even two members of the esteemed judging panel for a weekend of DWTS-centric events and activities.

Billed as “a celebration of all things Dancing With the Stars” the three-day convention will be held from Friday, July 31 to Sunday, Aug. 2 in Palm Springs, Calif. at the Acrisure Arena. The venue in the heart of the Coachella Valley has a capacity exceeding 11,000, meaning the “ultimate DWTS fan convention and live show” is expecting a sizable influx of fans and followers from around the country — and perhaps even the world.

DWTS Con has plenty planned to keep attendees entertained. Event organizers tout “live dance performances, live panels, interactive photo experiences, and exhibits” featuring “mirrorball champions and fan favorites.”

The list of returning pros, champs, and standouts in-bound for Palm Springs this summer is vast. In addition to long-serving judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, DWTS Con will feature Brandon Armstrong, Lindsay Arnold, Rylee Arnold, Alan Bersten, Hailey Bills, Hannah Brown, Sharna Burgess, Witney Carson, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Danielle Fishel, Xochitl Gomez, Joey Graziadei, Elaine Hendrix, Rashad Jennings, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Amanda Kloots, Whitney Leavitt, Phaedra Parks, Pasha Pashkov, Jan Ravnik, Gleb Savchenko, Jojo Siwa, Emma Slater, Ezra Sosa, Britt Stewart, Johnny Weir, Rumer Willis, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Ginger Zee.

Six celebrity winners lead that pack, comprising of Yamaguchi (season 6), Willis (season 20), Jennings (season 24), Brown (season 28), Gomez (season 32), and Graziadei (season 33).

“Fans of Dancing With the Stars will get up close to all the action, when we bring the ballroom to life at the first ever Dancing With the Stars Con,” event organizers tell EW. The convention was “designed to celebrate the iconic television series and its passionate fan base” and promises, beyond the performances, panels, and exhibits, “Q&A sessions, exclusive merchandise, and unique fan experiences inspired by the hit show that’s just celebrated 20 years on air.”

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Season 34 alum Fishel and 17-season pro veteran Slater sat down with EW ahead of the announcement to break down what’s in store.

Slater, who will reunite with her season 24 co-champ Jennings at the convention, teased “a lot of surprises. There are a lot of things that we don’t even know yet.” Fishel shared that “the greatest thing about the Con is that it’s going to be a celebration of all 20 years of the show.” While the annual DWTS Tour that Fishel is currently in the midst of celebrates “the dancers and season 34,” she explains, “the Con is going to be the legacy of the show – a celebration of the legacy of the show.”

Slater believes that “having an in-person experience is something that we’re all craving,” and with the popularity of series “exploding” over the course of last year’s 34th season — which aired the most-watched finale in a decade — she celebrates the fact “that now we can actually have and sustain an entire three-day event. I feel like immediately everybody wanted it so bad that we were just like, ‘Yes, yes, we’ll do it.'”

Tickets for the first edition of Dancing With the Stars Con go on sale Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. But Verizon members can access an exclusive presale beginning Feb. 12. Three-day early bird tickets, VIP packages, and more can be explored at at www.dwtscon.com.