FAN EXPO CANADA LOADED WITH BRAND NEW AND FAN FAVOURITE PROGRAMMING FOR ITS FULL RETURN
Highlights include Buffer Festival, Masters of Cosplay Grand Prix, Tattoo Alley, the Horror Stage, live podcast recordings, a Harry Potter, and the Cursed Child panel and much more!
Joseph Quinn, Matthew Lewis, and The Kids in the Hall round out the celebrity guest list!
TORONTO, ON (August 11, 2022) – FAN EXPO Canada is back in full force this year with incredible programming, exciting panels, and special celebrity guests. Whether a fan of fantasy, horror, sci-fi, comics, gaming, anime, YouTube, or all of the above, FAN EXPO Canada has something for everyone over four full days at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from August 25-28, 2022.
New this year, FAN EXPO Canada has partnered with Buffer Festival, the world’s largest digital-first film festival to bring fans an even bigger experience. Taking place August 26-28 in the North Building, FAN EXPO Canada x Buffer Festival will feature video premieres, screenings, red carpets, meetups, and a star-studded award gala. Creators expected to attend include Cyanide and Happiness (cyanideandhappiness), Elle Mills (elleofthemills), Malinda Reese (missmalindakat), Marie Stella (laframbuesaa), Rebecca Parham (rebeccaparham), Thomas Ridgewell (tomska), and many more. Fans can discover the new Buffer Festival Creator Zone which will include workshops, demos, creator meet and greets, and a variety of creator merchandise for sale. For more details, visit bufferfestival.com.
Additional new programming added to this year’s convention include Tattoo Alley, where fans can watch master artists at work or get themselves inked up right on the show floor; FAN EXPO Canada has partnered with Wattpad, Dundurn Press, and local writers’ group WCYR (The Writers’ Community of York Region) to bring booklovers Author Alley – bringing the best homegrown literary heroes to the show floor; the brand-new Horror Stage will bring genre fans four days of specially curated horror-related demos, interactive shows, and exciting guests; additionally this year has a dedicated Podcast Theatre with live podcast recordings where fans can gather and sit in on a live recording of their favourite podcasts including Jay and Silent Bob Get Old, The Friendship Onion, Dwarven Moss, and more.
There is no shortage of cosplay attractions at this year’s show including the return of the hugely popular competition, The Masters of Cosplay Grand Prix. The Masters of Cosplay Grand Prix holds the Maple Leaf Qualifier to name a Canadian winner, immediately followed by the Grand Finale where the eight city champions from across North America, including the just-named Canadian winner, will compete to be named the 2022 Master of Cosplay.
Fans can break out their wands and cloaks for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Journey to the Stage with the Canadian Cast panel, where they will learn about the journey to bring the eighth story in the Harry Potter canon to life on stage in Toronto. The panel will be moderated by Richard Crouse, author, and film critic for CP24 and Newstalk 1010. Autograph and selfie opportunities will be available following the panel.
As always, FAN EXPO Canada boasts an exciting list of celebrity, comic, cosplay, and voice actor guests for 2022 including the just announced Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things). Previously announced celebrity guests include iconic Canadian comedians The Kids in the Hall – Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson; Sons of Anarchy stars Charlie Hunnam, Ryan Hurst, Emilio Rivera, and Theo Rossi; William Shatner (Star Trek); Matthew Lewis (the Harry Potter film series, All Creatures Great and Small); Clerks stars including Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes; and a reunion of the four Hobbits: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan from the legendary Lord of the Rings trilogy. For a complete list of guests, info and tickets, visit fanexpocanada.com.
Additional programming highlights that fans can look forward to at FAN EXPO Canada include:
CELEBRITY PANELS
Beyond autograph signings and photo ops, celebrity guests will take part in Q&A presentations where fans can learn more about their storied lives and careers.
SPECIAL EVENTS
These special event presentations require an additional ticket for their epic-ness:
An Evening with The Kids In The Hall – Friday, August 26
Join The Kids In The Hall for an exclusive night of songs, sketches, and hilarious true stories. Dave, Bruce, Kevin, Mark and Scott revisit their comical legacy and some of their beloved characters with new perspectives. For tickets fanexpohq.com/fanexpocanada/
The Four Hobbits: An Unexpected Reunion – Saturday, August 27
Prepare for an unforgettable evening with The Four Hobbits. Join Pippin Took (Billy Boyd), Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), and Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as they reunite onstage. Journey from the Shire, to the Mines of Moria, to the depths of Modor. Lord of the Rings fans can rejoice, as we bring together the lovable Hobbits for this special event, the Four Hobbits: An Unexpected Reunion. Limited tickets are still available: fanexpohq.com/fanexpocanada/
Jay and Silent Bob Get Old – Saturday, August 27
Come join your fave stars from Clerks as Kevin Smith (Silent Bob) and Jason Mewes (Jay) sign autographs, take pictures (as themselves and in character), answer fan questions, and maybe make a quick stop at Quick Stop. For tickets: fanexpohq.com/fanexpocanada/
The Friendship Onion Podcast Live – Sunday, August 28
Lord of the Rings stars Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd are doing a live taping of their podcast, The Friendship Onion. Fans can watch as they bring all the amazing elements of their show to life for the audience including tongue twisters, riddles, and much more. Tickets start at $35. Fans who upgrade to VIP receive priority seating and have the chance to take a special, one-of-a-kind photo with Dominic and Billy at The Friendship Onion podcast table after the show. Upgrades are limited, so act now! purchase.growtix.com/eh/FAN_
FAMILY ZONE
The FAN EXPO Family Zone offers attendees a world of discovery and adventure. This year, fans of all ages can experience the magic of a Harry Potter “Sorting Hat” ceremony, a Jurassic Park-themed activity area featuring a dino dig and Jurassic Crafts, play The Floor is Lava game, or draw on life-sized comic books. In addition, guests can enjoy wizardly games, medieval battles, hands-on experiences, costumed characters, photo ops, games, crafts, and more. Young fans and fans who are young at heart can cap off summer by having a blast with nonstop programming that the whole family can experience.
COSPLAY PROGRAMMING
From cosplay veterans to first timers in their favourite costumes, attendees can enjoy incredible cosplay programming at this year’s FAN EXPO Canada. The Masters of Cosplay Grand Prix holds the Maple Leaf Qualifier to name a Canadian winner, immediately followed by the Grand Finale where the eight city champions from across North America, including the just-named Canadian winner, will compete to be named the 2022 Master of Cosplay. The content continues with the Cosplay Red Carpet back and open for everyone to strut their stuff and pose for photos; panels and workshops hosted by professional cosplayers offer everyone opportunities to learn new techniques and design skills; plus, themed cosplay fan meetups, photo-ops, and much more.
CAPTIVATING COMICS
A staple of FAN EXPO Canada, Artist Alley and the Comic Creator area offer attendees the opportunity to meet the minds behind their favorite comic books and to watch their work come to life. Comic Book legends and superstars including Arthur ‘Art’ Adams, Lee Bermejo, and Mark Brooks will be in attendance. Attendees can watch professional comic book artists at work, and chat with their favourite writers. Budding comic book artists can head to The Skills Lab to enjoy classes and workshops with talented instructors from The Kubert School.
THE ULTIMATE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
With hundreds of retailers on the convention floor, attendees are in for an unforgettable experience. Whether it’s a rare comic book, original artwork, graphic novels, memorabilia, collectibles, videos, games, toys, or t-shirts – there’s a vendor for it here.
BELL ESPORTS CHALLENGE
Bell Esports Challenge is an esports competition that aims to develop the amateur Canadian esports scene. After a registration call-out earlier this year for Canadian gamers in Valorant 5v5, Rocket League 3v3, and Call of Duty 4v4 and an eight-week period of qualifiers, the live LAN final event will take place at FAN EXPO Canada 2022. As with the qualifiers, the final event will be broadcast live on Bell’s official Twitch channel, showcasing up-and-coming Canadian gamers, commentators, and analyst.
For the full programming schedule, visit: fanexpohq.com/fanexpocanada/
For a complete list of programming, guests, info, and tickets, visit: fanexpocanada.com
Health & Safety Guidelines
FAN EXPO Canada remains committed to meeting all public health measures to continue to make the event a safe gathering place for the community. FAN EXPO Canada will continue to monitor the situation with public health and will continue to adjust and implement applicable measures should regulations change. For more information on health and safety, please visit fanexpohq.com/fanexpocanada/
Attending the Show from outside of Toronto?
Fans of all ages can save on the cost of admission and travel together with the GO Combo Saver Program which includes a round-trip GO fare. With Union Station just a short walk away from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, passengers can take advantage of regularly scheduled train trips to Toronto and ensure they don’t miss a minute of the action. The GO x FAN EXPO Canada Combo Saver Ticket includes round trip GO Transit fare from any GO Station to Union Station and admission to FAN EXPO Canada 2022. For more details and to purchase a GO x FAN EXPO Canada Combo Saver Ticket, please visit fanexpocanada.com/tickets.
