When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro!

At Retro Con, we have a soft spot for weird stuff. Toys that made no sense, licensed merchandise nobody asked for, and bootlegs that somehow look cooler than the real thing. Whether it’s strange, bizarre, or unexpected, we want to see YOUR collectibles that will make people question reality at the Retro Con 2026 Weird Toy & Merch Contest!!

No pre-registration is required! Just bring your item to the Panel Room shortly before the contest begins (exact time coming soon). However you must be present with your item to compete, so please no drop-offs.

Almost anything qualifies! Vintage or modern, licensed or unlicensed, authentic or bootleg… we love it all! However, custom-made items are NOT eligible, and entries must be suitable for a family audience. (Sorry… your Shape-Shifter Punisher and E.T. Finger Light will have to sit this one out.)

If your item has a gimmick, by all means, show it off! We’re also welcoming “toy-adjacent” collectibles like lunchboxes, electronic toothbrushes, pharmacy rack toys, model kits, candy dispensers, alarm clocks, and of course… vintage Magnum PI clothes hangers! If it celebrates a toy line or pop culture property in a charmingly bizarre way, bring it along!

1st Place winner gets the LEGO Goonies Inferno pirate ship set (a $330+ value!), complete with nearly the entire Goonies cast in minifig form, along with the Walshes’ Attic bonus set!

Helping judge the madness will be Mike from The Breaux Show, alongside Mr. Lobo from Cinema Insomnia! Together they will preside over the uncanniest toys and ephemera ever to escape a factory. Along with audience reaction input, these two brave warriors will determine which of these items prevail!

So come enter to win, or simply come to watch! For one glorious afternoon, the strange shall be celebrated, the bizarre shall be admired, and the toys that should have never existed shall will finally receive the recognition they deserve!