The 2020 Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo is officially cancelled

The 15th annual Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo will not be taking place this summer.

The event had been rescheduled in late March when it became evident that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the physical distancing rules that were enacted as a result, would make hosting the Expo in April impossible.

The Calgary Expo had been tentatively rescheduled for July 17 to 19, with all guests who had purchased tickets, photo ops, and special event admissions being automatically refunded.

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However, any hope of seeing the event take place later this summer disappeared this morning when organizers issued a release stating that the event would be cancelled outright for 2020.

“When we postponed the April show to July, we believed that would be enough time for things to settle down. We have been in touch with community partners, and despite all of our efforts and collaboration, it has become clear that July is not a viable option,” stated organizers in the release.

“We understand how important this show is to so many people and we’re grateful for the fierce passion we have seen from community partners and online. You deserve a celebration worthy of the time that goes into your booths, cosplay, and travels. This year, that is unfortunately not possible.”

Those who purchased a ticket for the postponed show will receive a refund without having to take any action.

The release notes that the 15th anniversary of the first Calgary Expo will instead be celebrated from April 22 to 25, 2021.

“Calgary Expo started in a single hall in the Big Four, with just a few thousand fans in 2006 and has since grown to be one of the biggest pop culture events in North America,” said Fan Expo HQ President, Aman Gupta, in the release.

“This unprecedented success is due entirely to the massive efforts of local fans and volunteers and the vision they grew. We’re a resilient, creative, and connected community, and right now all of our energy is needed to fight COVID-19 and support the people keeping us safe. I speak for my whole team when I say that when the time is right, we’re going to bring Calgary an unforgettable 15^th anniversary celebration. We can’t wait.”