Hello Kitty and Friends Return to Las Vegas for F1 ACADEMY’s November Finale

Sanrio is bringing Hello Kitty and Friends back to Las Vegas for F1 ACADEMY’s season finale, with a three-day activation that combines character experiences, cafe offerings and limited-edition merchandise. The event runs Nov. 19–21, 2026, and puts Sanrio’s familiar designs inside the F1 ACADEMY Paddock as well as at three Hello Kitty Cafe locations around the city.

For collectors, the draw is the mix of event merchandise and character displays with activities designed for visitors to take part in. Sanrio’s announcement mentions select Hello Kitty x F1 ACADEMY merchandise at its cafes and limited-edition merchandise at the event, but it doesn’t specify product names, quantities, prices or whether items will be sold online. Those details will matter to fans deciding which parts of the Las Vegas experience to prioritize.

A Paddock built around play and character displays

The Sanrio Fan Zone returns inside the F1 ACADEMY Paddock. Its activities span snacks, crafts, games and photo opportunities, giving the activation several ways to engage visitors beyond browsing merchandise. Ticketed visitors can stop at the Hello Kitty Cafe Pit Stop for cookies, other sweet baked goods and hot chocolate.

The Creative Garage invites fans to make a crown inspired by Hello Kitty, add temporary tattoos and create friendship bracelets. A bow-catching game puts visitors’ reflexes to the test, while photo booths let them make an F1 ACADEMY driver’s license and decorate its lanyard. The Fan Zone will also feature a Hello Kitty and Friends photo wall and a race helmet display inspired by Hello Kitty, Kuromi and My Melody.

Hello Kitty and Kuromi are expected to visit the Fan Zone during race week, giving fans a chance to meet the characters in person. Sanrio hasn’t provided a schedule for those appearances, so visitors looking to catch them will need to follow the brand’s updates. The helmet display and photo wall offer additional character-focused stops for those who miss a visit.

Three cafes add food and merchandise stops

The Hello Kitty Cafe has three Las Vegas locations: Fashion Show, Park MGM Las Vegas and the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace. Sanrio describes the Forum Shops venue as its newest elevated cafe experience. During race week, the cafes will offer new food and beverage menu items, along with select Hello Kitty x F1 ACADEMY merchandise.

The announcement doesn’t identify the new menu items or the merchandise pieces, and it doesn’t say whether the same selection will be available at all three cafes. Collectors interested in a particular item may want to check Sanrio’s social channels for updates before visiting. The named accounts are @hellokitty, @sanrio and @hellokittycafevegas.

The combination of event and cafe locations gives the collaboration a broader footprint than a single booth or product display. Visitors can encounter the characters in the Paddock, then find themed food, drinks and merchandise at locations elsewhere in Las Vegas. For collectors, that spread may make the cafe items and the Fan Zone merchandise distinct parts of the experience, though Sanrio has not described the products in enough detail to compare them.

Sanrio frames the partnership around character and sport

Jill Koch, Chief Brand Officer at Sanrio, Inc., said the collaboration reflects values associated with Hello Kitty and Friends, including individuality, friendship and confidence in pursuing dreams. She also described F1 ACADEMY as creating opportunities for a new generation of female drivers and said Sanrio was proud to support the series while bringing fans together around the sport.

The crossover places Sanrio’s character brands alongside a motorsports event, connecting a lifestyle and entertainment property with a live sporting setting. For licensors and retailers, the practical feature to watch is how the experience links products to participation: visitors can make keepsakes, take photos, meet characters and shop during the same event. The announcement, however, gives no attendance figures, merchandise quantities or sales results, so the scale of the activation’s commercial response remains unknown.

Hello Kitty was created in 1974. Sanrio’s other character brands include My Melody, Kuromi, LittleTwinStars, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, gudetama, Aggretsuko, Chococat, Badtz-Maru and Keroppi. The company says it was founded in 1960 and that its products are available in more than 130 countries, with work that also extends into entertainment, gaming and theme parks.

The Las Vegas program is scheduled to begin Nov. 19 and continue through the F1 ACADEMY finale on Nov. 21. For fans planning a visit, the key details to track are the character appearance times, cafe menus and specific merchandise availability as Sanrio shares further updates.