Pop culture aficionados shrugged off the weather and danced their way downtown on Friday to roll out the iron-clad carpet for the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo — casually called the Calgary Expo.  

What was supposed to be the POW! Parade of Wonders turned into a dance party at the BMO Centre Grand Staircase and Plaza on the morning of April 24. The event organizers, Fan Expo HQ, said the change in plans followed Environment Canada’s issuance of a wind gust warning of 90 km. 

“This decision was not made lightly, but made with the safety of participants as first priority,” read an email statement alerting of the update.

Instead of parading down 2 Street SW and 13 Avenue SW to conclude at Stampede Park, the event swapped promenading for partying to the tune of DJ Thug Shells, who started her set at 10:30 a.m.

Shortly after, attendees were greeted by the Super Mario-dressed duo of Mayor Jeromy Farkas and this year’s dog mayor, Mudpie, who sported a mushroom-patterned hat resembling the game’s Toad character. 

Mayor Farkas donned the signature Mario plumber suit — complete with a green pipe fitted around his waist and a gold wrench in hand. He said the costume is a nod to the multiple water main breaks that have plagued the city in recent years. 

“Well, I thought that the guy who fixes the pipes with a gold wrench was probably fitting for this year,” said Farkas. 

Just before noon, CBC’s Loren McGinnis introduced several celebrity guests to the staircase-turned-stage: Star Wars’ Anthony Daniels, Lord of the Rings’ John Rhys-Davies, Supernatural’s Samantha Smith and DJ Qualls, and other actors from films like Hocus Pocus, Grand Theft Auto, Pokémon, and Sailor Moon. 

All of the honorary guests participated in the signature white hat ceremony, which was celebrated with confetti cannons and officially kicked off the 19th rendition of the Calgary Expo. Despite the brisk weather, attendees said that they were elated to be there. 

Expo enthusiasts come from all over Canada

On the sidewalk between the BMO Centre and the Scotiabank Saddledome was a group of cosplayers dressed in silver-plated armour. Facing one another, they stood in two parallel lines, each holding a sword, shield, or another combination of costume weaponry. 

At the end of one line was Calgary resident William Baliko, who holds the title of knight marshal on his team as a member of the Historical Armoured Sports Combat Association of Canada (HACSA). 

Baliko explained that it’s a national league where participants register to compete in a variety of medieval events, such as individual duels and group battles. He said that members came from coast to coast to attend the Calgary Expo, including teams from British Columbia, Strathcona, and Lethbridge.

However, on Friday morning, Baliko said that the HACSA had a newfound purpose — guarding the celebrity guests as they walked from the street to the staircase. He said that even though the parade was cancelled, this was an exciting opportunity. 

“That’s something we love to do. We often are at events, like the creative fantasy bowl and things like that, where we play the honour guard on the fight demos,” said Baliko.

“We’re always happy to do that, at any chance to promote the sport, to get people interested, if they want to try it out.”

He said he sees the Calgary Expo as an annual outlet for getting together with people who share his interests, and that he is looking forward to what the event has in store for the rest of the weekend. 

Attendance is on the rise, says expo VP

The 2026 event opened its doors at the BMO Centre on Thursday, April 23. Until Sunday, April 26, the expo will offer attendees from a diverse range of fandoms the chance to hear panellists, engage in activities, and connect with fellow cosplayers. 

Fan Expo HQ vice president Andrew Moyes said that this year’s event will offer several enticing things to see. With it being the 25th anniversary of the inaugural Lord of the Rings film, he said that all four Hobbits will be in attendance and at a special event on Saturday night. 

Other new additions are tailored to meet the growing interest in the anime genre, and this effort is reflected in a wide range of events, like a meet-and-greet, dance party, and café. A wrestling attraction will also be unique to this year, he said. 

“We always work to bring new and improved items for people that are coming every year, so there’s something fresh for them to enjoy,” said Moyes. 

With this being the second year the Calgary Expo has been held in the renovated BMO Centre, he said the expansion has brought everything together, and that the years spent working through construction were worth it. 

“It’s such a relief to be through that and now to be reaping the rewards of a world-class facility that is helping us grow and expand,” he said. 

Moyes said that attendance has been on the rise in recent years and that both the Calgary community and the up-to-date facility have contributed to the increase in visitors. 

“We’re seeing great attendance again this year,” he said. 

“I think it just shows that people still want to gather together and celebrate pop culture with like-minded friends and family, and basically the pop culture community.”