Fan Expo Canada to go ahead with ‘limited edition’ event in October

A much anticipated annual celebration of pop culture fandoms of all stripes is returning this year, albeit on a smaller scale.

Fan Expo Canada, like several other large events, was forced to cancel its four-day fest last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but says it will go ahead this year with a “limited edition” event.

The expo attracts fans of film, television shows, comic books, video games, anime and horror and is a popular destination for cosplayers who dress up in elaborate, often screen-accurate costumes.

The event, which celebrated 25 years in 2019, usually takes place in late August or early September, but the organization said in a release that the “dates we had been counting down to are just a bit too soon.”

“Toronto is on a path to safely reopen but now, more than ever, it’s important we all do our part,” they said, which means pushing back the event date to October and cutting it down to three days.

The event is expected to run from October 22 to 24 and will be limited to 25,000 tickets.

Tickets for last year’s cancelled event will be honoured. For those who have changed their minds and choose not to attend, organizers are asking that fans inform them by June 30 so they have a better idea of how many tickets will be available to the general public.

Ticket holders will have until 14 days before the show to request a refund.

Comments on social media expressed dissatisfaction with the ticketing arrangement, with many saying tickets should be transferred to 2022 for the full four-day event they paid for rather than a truncated show. Others complained about refunds last year that were minus the $10 processing fee.

There is no word yet on whether 2020 ticket holders will be able to transfer their passes to 2022.

Scroll through some standout cosplayers from Fan Expo 2019 below: