One of my favourite events that signified the end of the summer was Fan Expo Canada. It's a convention I've attended on-and-off since 2009 with my daughter. The last time we went was in 2019. The pandemic disrupted this pattern for two years but it returned this year and I went. These are some of my reflections (and photos, of course)!
Cosplay & Purchases
I love to dress up. This year, I wore two different costumes. I reused my Recovery Girl outfit from the manga/anime My Hero Academia and I was Tom Nook from the video game Animal Crossing New Horizons.
I've written before about the benefits of cosplay. I love the sense of community that it creates. When you "recognize" someone based on their costume, something a bit magical happens. I attended a talk for older cosplayers and I really liked one of the slides they had displayed. (If you can't read it, it says "Next time someone tells you you're too old for superhero dress-up" with photos of some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe actors and their ages.)
I wasn't able to attend all the scheduled cosplay meetups at the convention but I was delighted to see and take photos with a fellow Animal Crossing New Horizons "character" - Isabelle.
There were so many wonderful things related to costumes that were available to purchase while at Fan Expo. I am proud of myself for resisting the urge to buy a set of fox ears and tails (and cat paws). I liked them but I didn't need them, although that hasn't always stopped me in the past. The craftsmanship on display at Fan Expo Canada is astonishing. This is probably why my own kids spend so much time while there in Artists Alley. This is where local and regional makers come to sell the things they create. My own children in the past have purchased buttons, pins, posters, stickers, stuffed animals, costume accessories, comic books and so much more.
Spending money is a big component of Fan Expo Canada. It's very easy to go overboard. I made a rather large purchase this year, but I think it's going to be worth it. After all, to parody the "if you gave a man a fish, you feed him for a day" saying, if you give someone a costume, you dress them for a day; if you teach someone how to make a costume, you dress them (and get them into the hobby) for a lifetime! I bought an amazing kit from Cosplay Skilltree that will teach me how to make costumes and props out of foam. The kit comes with tutorial videos, almost all the materials needed to make several items, and access to their cosplay creation community. (Thank you Autumn, Clark, and everyone else at the booth!) I can't wait to try things out.
Scheduling & Technology
My eldest now has a full-time job, so she was unable to attend all four days of the convention like she usually does. My own demophobia is no longer as debilitating as it used to be, but I still avoid the busiest days. Therefore, it was tricky to coordinate. I went with my two kids on Thursday evening and went by myself on Friday. I was super fortunate to be able to meet up with Jennifer Cadavez and her family as well as Beth Lyons and her girls at the convention, so even when I was by myself, I wasn't alone. My eldest girl went Thursday evening with me, worked Friday, attended Saturday and part of Sunday, allowing herself enough time to travel back and fill a Sunday evening shift. Phone texts made a lot of this coordination possible.
Fan Expo Canada now has an app that you can use to browse and select panels and sessions you might be interested in attending while at the con. Even though I didn't want to be indebted to technology (my Quebec City debacle was still fresh in my mind), I did find using the app convenient. You can definitely tell what my interests are based on my bookmarks!
Technology plays a bigger role now in the convention. Even if you print off your eTickets, volunteers scan your QR code, hand you a badge, and you have to log online to activate the badge to enter. Like the ArriveCan requirements that presume everyone has a cell phone and/or a good data plan (my husband called my attention to this article about a Vermont librarian helping stranded travelers), I'm unsure what alternatives are available for those not "logged in".
Masking & Media Representation
Fan Expo Canada attracts a lot of people. School is about to start and I can't afford to get sick. I really wanted to go so I wore a mask while I was there. I was in the minority but that was okay. I was not shamed for my choice and I didn't shame anyone else for their choice. Fan Expo Canada made it clear on their website that they were not checking vaccination status or enforcing the use of masks indoors. I hope that it doesn't result in a surge of new cases or any illness for me.
I wanted to end the post with several of my favourite photos taken of some of the most impressive examples of cosplay my eldest and I saw while there. We asked for people's permission to take their photos and all shown here were happy to oblige. I thought I'd contrast it a bit with this CBC clip I found online of Fan Expo Canada - it's interesting how the news clip situates the Fan Expo Canada participants as "different" from the "regular population" (whereas in my own house, I try hard to distance myself from "normies" [what you call non-fans] even though I must confess I've mixed up Star Wars and Star Trek in the past and currently I can't name any characters from Genshin Impact despite watching my son play it [and other games like Monster Hunter] frequently).
Photo Gallery
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