Let's Glow Anime Festival Brings Over 7,000 Fans to Warm Springs BART
The second annual transit-themed anime festival drew thousands of costumed fans and quadrupled Saturday ridership at the Fremont station.
More than 7,000 attendees gathered at the Warm Springs / South Fremont BART station on September 19 for the second annual Let's Glow BART Anime Fest. The weekend event transformed the station parking lot into a busy pedestrian hub filled with costumed fans, artist booths, vehicle displays, and live entertainment.
Transit officials noted that attendance grew significantly from the 4,500 visitors recorded in 2025, while also quadrupling normal Saturday passenger entries and exits at the Fremont terminal. Many fans rode trains into town to collect official mascot merchandise, meet Bay Area illustrators, and take photos around the station grounds.
BART began developing transit mascot characters and attending community conventions to engage younger and more transit-reliant demographics. The festival demonstrated how rail properties can serve as lively public gathering spaces while encouraging East Bay residents to take public transit.