FAN EXPO returns to Vancouver next month for a huge fandom celebration

The countdown is on for FAN EXPO Vancouver, one of BC’s largest pop-culture events.

Returning to the Vancouver Convention Centre from February 18 to 20, the annual event brings together tens of thousands of people ranging from comic book fans, cosplay lovers, sci-fi, horror and anime aficionados, and gaming fanatics, to name a few.

Plus, there are family-friendly experiences and huge celebrities to meet as well!

If any more excitement is needed, we’ve prepared a list of what you need to check out at FAN EXPO Vancouver 2023. Get ready to join the fun!

 

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Interactive Programming and Family-Friendly Activities

FAN EXPO Vancouver/Submitted

Whether it’s your first time at FAN EXPO or a long-awaited return, there’ll be no shortage of things to do at this year’s event. You can take part in anime cosplay meetups, cheer on your favourite comic artists in the Sketch Duel showdowns, and test your skills with the Floor Is Lava challenge.

You’ll also want to visit Jurassic “Park” for a dino dig and craft, help solve crimes with the Vancouver Police Museum, witness the next generation of Jedi train with Star Wars Padawan training, and join Science World while they’re on-site with excitig hands-on experiments.

Finally, give your brain a workout with Fandom Trivia’s Giant Geeky Quiz, watch The Fictionals perform geeky comedy live, and other community panels from local groups.

Main Stage Panels

FAN EXPO Vancouver/Submitted

Every year, FAN EXPO brings some of your favourite celebrities, voice actors, comic creators, and popular cosplayers to town, and 2023 is no different.

Over the course of the weekend, visitors will have the chance to meet them at photo ops and autograph signings, or see them live on-stage during panels (along with the chance to ask them questions).

Highlights this year include Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Michael Rooker and Sean Gunn; The Flash‘s Kayla Compton, Danielle Nicolet, and Danielle Panabaker; Lord of the Ring’s Sean Astin; and Star Trek‘s Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, and Brent Spiner.

You’ll also get to see the faces behind some of your favourite games and shows, including Ashley Eckstein, Matt Lanter, and James Arnold Taylor from The Clone Wars, Max Mittelman and Robbie Daymond from One Punch Man, and more.

Community Zone

FAN EXPO Vancouver/Submitted

The Community Zone features booths and activations run by local groups and organizations and is the perfect place to meet your fellow fans. Sit down for a tabletop gaming session with Meeple Leaf or snap an out-of-this-world photo with Star Wars costuming clubs.

Bucketheads will be showcasing its definitive Star Wars fan production, and The Society for Creative Anachronism’s Barony of Lions Gate will be taking guests back to the Middle Ages.

And children of all ages will want to stop by the Vancouver Lego Users Club booth and the Jurassic Park Jeep to geek out.

Poké-Monday

FAN EXPO Vancouver/Submitted

FAN EXPO is celebrating everything Pokémon with its special Poké-Monday event! You can meet the voice of Ash Ketchum, Sarah Natochenny, who has been voicing the iconic character since 2006!

Fans can also test their smarts with Pokémon trivia, visit Trainer Town and Pokémon Training Camp for interactive activities, make a pom-pom Pikachu or go on a scavenger hunt for the electrifying monster, and watch a panel led by Pokémon TCG aficionado TotodileTales.

Shopping

FAN EXPO Vancouver/Submitted

It’s time to find that comic book or video game that you loved as a kid. Who knows, at FAN EXPO, you might even meet the person who made it!

Not to mention, you’ll likely find some art or fanware that will blow your mind.

The event will host a wide variety of vendors and artists, so come early and get ready for the hunt. Make sure to bring cash though, as ATMs at the event can often run out.

Fan Cosplay

FAN EXPO Vancouver/Submitted

Come for the con, stay for the cosplay.

Showing off, checking out, and snagging pictures of weekend cosplays, for many, is the best part of the FAN EXPO experience. Just be sure to ask permission and be respectful before taking photos!

To see the absolute best that the weekend has to offer, be sure to check out FAN EXPO’s Cosplay Craftmanship Cup contest.

FAN EXPO Vancouver 2023

When: February 18 to 20, 2023
Time: 10 am to 7 pm (Saturday), 10 am to 5 pm (Sunday and Monday)
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Halls B And C — 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online