FanExpo Vancouver

vcon-webmaster's picture
Submitted by VCON Webmaster on Sat, 12/17/2011 - 11:08

The following information came in through the Canadian Conrunners mailing list:

Fan Expo, the Toronto based convention run by HobbyStar Marketing is expanding west to Vancouver: http://www.fanexpovancouver.com/

It is scheduled for April 21 & 22, 2012. Ticketing information is not yet available.

Does anyone on the ConCom know much of anything about the Toronto Fan Expo and HobbyStar Marketing?

Does anyone know if the Expo

simoniddings's picture
Submitted by simoniddings on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 20:53.

Does anyone know if the Expo is open to the public, or are one of those Id cards needed to enter? I assume that since it is a Fanexpo, the public are allowed in together with the rest of the merchants. Hopefully the repeat of the 2010 mess would not happen again. 

Simon - id cards

I've been to FanExpo Toronto

vcon-chair's picture
Submitted by VCON Chair on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 19:12.

I've been to FanExpo Toronto as a dealer. We did ok, but the organisation was ... well, we had to walk two and a half times the length of the entire convention centre to get in to our table because the volunteers in charge of giving out badges didn't have the right information, and there were two check in points for dealers but neither had our badges because the check-in desk that had had them gave them to our table-mates who arrived before us and were already inside the hall.

FanExpo Toronto is also the convention that in 2010 oversold the max capacity of the convention centre and caused a near-riot because they weren't letting paid members inside the building.

That said, it's a huge show and bound to have some issues.

It's for-profit. It's essentially a trade show with a single track of programming presented by paid pros. They do multiple photo-op/ signing line-ups. In Toronto they had an under-loved games room.

Danielle Stephens, VCON Chair cha{click-to-expand}@vcon.ca