Published on April 27th, 2024 | by Alexa Lawlor
0Calgary Comics and Entertainment Expo takes over Stampede Park This Weekend
A comic, a TV show, a movie. Everyone is a fan of something.
Conventions like the Calgary Comics and Entertainment Expo, or CALGARY EXPO, provide a place for fans to get together, meet their favourite celebrities, watch panels, and browse through the many vendors.
Kolten Gerbrandt, Amelia Phaff, and Jade Prior are returning attendees to the CALGARY EXPO. This is Gerbrandt’s second time at the convention, and around the fifth or sixth time for Phaff and Prior.
All three said the celebrity guests and cosplayers keep them coming back every year. This year, Gerbrandt and Phaff are cosplaying as characters from Scream – Ghostface and Casey Becker, respectively.
Andrew Moyes, VP of FAN EXPO HQ, says attendees can always discover something new when exploring the CALGARY EXPO.
“There’s really nothing that compares to being in person. You might come for one fandom, or to meet one celebrity, (and then) you’ll meet a new friend in line. You’ll discover a new artist. Events like these are the safest places to get out of your comfort zone, meet new people, and find belonging.”
The first CALGARY EXPO took place in 2006, marking 2024 as the 17th annual event. Each year, the Calgary Comics and Entertainment Expo attracts approximately 90,000 fans to Stampede Park, from all fandoms.
The CALGARY EXPO is the largest comic con in Western Canada, and the 2nd largest comic con in the country, second to their sister show, FAN EXPO CANADA, which takes place in Toronto in August.
This year in Calgary, you’ll want to make sure to answer the phone, as the celebrity guests include the original Ghostface (Lee Waddell), and other actors from the Scream franchise, including Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich, and Matthew Lillard, to name only a few.
Gerbrandt, Phaff, and Prior said they’re most excited to see Lillard and Ulrich, the duo well known for portraying Stu Macher and Billy Loomis, the original killers in the first Scream movie (1996).
Other guests include voice actors, comic creators, tattoo artists, and more. A full list of guests, and a schedule for the weekend can be found here.
Moyes says the planning for the expo often begins during the prior year’s event, as they see what works well, and what could be improved. Notably, Moyes mentioned next year’s convention in 2025 will feature a new floorplan, taking advantage of the newly expanded BMO Centre in Stampede Park.
CALGARY EXPO is run by FAN EXPO HQ, which is the largest comic con producer in the world, working on shows in cities across North America.
“We get to collect ideas, inspiration, and best practices all the time and from all over,” said Moyes. “So fans in Calgary might be benefiting from a new programming offering that came out of Chicago, or a new line up system that we tried in Denver. We really do work all year round to make these shows the best we can.”
The Calgary Comics and Entertainment Expo runs until Sunday, April 28 in Stampede Park.