From celebrity sightings to exciting cosplay, the 2022 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo made a joyous return to the city Thursday for the 15th annual event.
Following a scaled-down event in 2021 due to COVID-19, this year’s four-day expo came back bigger and better than ever, bringing with it some serious star power.
Cosplayers walked the red carpet in style
There was no competition or registration needed, instead, attendees were able to show off their costumes, red carpet style, posing for photographers and meeting fellow fans along the way.
Cobra Kai karate chopped the competition
Cobra Kai was in the building. Stars from the Netflix hit series sat down with Mike Morrison on Sunday afternoon to answer fan questions.
However, it wasn’t just the expo these stars attended while in Calgary. They also went to a Flames game.
Class was in session for Harry Potter fans
Attendees were transported to Hogwarts over the four-day event getting first-hand lessons in an array of magical subjects, including herbology, potions, charms, and divination.
Attendees were able to do everything from writing in invisible ink, to creating their own miniature greenhouses, and mixing their own concoctions.
Kindred spirits became friends at cosplay meetups
Cosplayers could meet like-minded attendees at several themed meetups held throughout the four-day expo. From DC Universe, to Marvel, Disney, and even Star Wars, people could meet up with fellow enthusiasts to share their costumes, ideas, and thoughts on their favourite movies.
A crash course in writing comics
Attendees were given the opportunity to learn more about the genre they love so much. The discussion hosted by Jim Zub on Saturday gave participants the opportunity to take part in a crash course on what it takes to write comics professionally.
Guests could also attend workshops on how to write an effective pitch, graphic novels, and science fiction.
Frodo Baggins in the building
This year’s event brought with it some serious star power, including John Cleese, Brendan Fraser, and William Shatner. But a highlight for many, was the expo’s ability to bring all four Hobbits under one roof.
“We’re bringing some star power as well — icons like William Shatner and John Cleese, we have the cast of Cobra Kai, fan favourites like Brendan Fraser and, of course, one of our banner events — we are bringing all four Hobbits,” said Andrew Moyes, vice president of Fan Expo HQ, on the Global News Morning show on Monday.
Guests cashed in on unique gifts from vendors
This year’s expo was home to hundreds of exhibitors, artists, and artisans, each presenting their own unique treasures such as collectibles, games, costumes, comics, and custom artwork.
The expo was also home to an expanded family zone with interactive activities, and Artists Alley which displayed local and international artists work.
For a look at the entire four-day schedule from this year’s event, visit the Calgary fan expo website.