Fan Expo Canada is a pop culture convention featuring superheroes, comic books, gaming, movie souvenirs and more. It’s the biggest event of its kind in Canada.
Fan Expo Canada
If you’re a fan of comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming and other types of entertainment, then this is a can’t-miss event. Fan Expo Canada is the largest event of its kind in Canada and the third-largest pop culture event in North America. In pre-pandemic years over 100,000 people flocked to the convention. Attendees can meet some of their favourite celebrities and creators, shop for all sorts of collectibles, have a good time dressing up in costume, and meet other superfans.
The Fan Expo Canada event runs from August 22nd to 25th in 2024.
Location and Admission
Fan Expo Canada takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre which is located at 255 Front Street West. The dates for the event in 2024 are from Thursday, August 22nd, to Sunday, August 25th. The opening and closing hours on the Thursday are 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. On the Friday and Saturday the event runs from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. Finally, on the Sunday, the venue is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The admission cost depends on when exactly you buy your tickets and also what day you go. As one might expect, since it’s only a half day, the Thursday is the cheapest day to go. The Saturday is the most expensive. If you buy tickets in advance you get a discount.
For more information or to book your tickets now click Fan Expo Canada.
2024 Admission Prices
Below are the costs for full price tickets in 2024.
- Adults (ages 18 and over): $39 on Thursday, $49 on Friday, $71 on Saturday and $54 on Sunday
- Youth (ages 13 to 17): $34 on Thursday, $39 on Friday, $61 on Saturday and $44 on Sunday
- Children (ages 6 to 12): $12 every day
- Family (two adults and up to four children): $83 on Thursday, $103 on Friday, $152 on Saturday and $113 on Sunday
If you purchase individual tickets before Mach 28th, 2024, you get between $12 and $16 off your purchase for any day and age level (except children who always cost the same). There are also four-day passes that are available for $140 at full price (or $105 at early bird pricing) which give you full access to the entire convention. If you plan to go on multiple days, it’s definitely worth it.
An important note is that each child pass is good for the whole event, so you don’t need to buy multiple tickets for kids to go on more than one day.
William Shatner at Fan Expo Canada
What to Expect at Fan Expo
This event is about fandom, so expect to see items and references from a huge variety of pop culture avenues. Those of all ages and backgrounds attend the event and there are a large number of exhibits to explore. For those interested in shopping, there are hundreds of different vendors at the convention with all sorts of collectibles for sale. There are comics, action figures, artwork, games, toys and much more on offer.
This event is also a very interactive one. There are different workshops and seminars held that discuss practical creative and artistic skills, and Q&A panel discussions where you can ask questions to a variety of guests. There is also a Family Zone geared towards younger kids with games, roving character actors and the chance to take plenty of photos.
Costumes are not required to attend the convention but they are encouraged! Many people take Fan Expo as a chance to don costumes of beloved characters.
Special Guests at Fan Expo
One of the favourite parts of the event for many are the different celebrities who appear as special guests at the convention. Attendees have the chance to get autographs and pictures with the guests and listen to some speak on different panels. William Shatner was a guest speaker at the 2021 limited edition of the event.
Some of the special guests who appeared in 2023 were Hayden Christensen, Charlie Cox, Christina Ricci and Jon Bernthal. Other guests included Ming-Na Wen from The Mandalorian, Vincent D’Onofrio and Anson Mount.
As of February, 2024, the lineup of celebrities and guests for this year’s event has yet to be announced.
For more information or to book your tickets now click Fan Expo Canada.
Jason Mewes & Kevin Smith
Toronto Comicon
A similar event to Fan Expo that takes place earlier in the year is Toronto Comicon. It’s actually hosted by the same organization and held at the same venue (but not usually in the same area). Comicon is a bit smaller than Fan Expo and because of that is a bit cheaper too. The overall vibe is more or less the same though, so if you like Fan Expo then you’ll definitely like Comicon. The 2024 dates for this other event are March 16th to 17th.
A similar event on the other side of the country, in British Columbia, is Vancouver Fan Expo. The world’s biggest and most famous comic book and fandom convention is Comic-Con in San Diego.
Other Information
To learn more visit the Fan Expo Canada website.
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