Edmonton Expo: The City’s Comic and Fan Convention
Forty thousand people, three days at the EXPO Centre, and a schedule that rewards planning. What the convention is and how to do it without burning out.
Edmonton Expo is the biggest fan convention the city gets: three days at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, around forty thousand people, and a floor that takes a genuine effort to walk end to end.
What it is
A comic and pop culture convention run by FAN EXPO HQ, the company behind the same events in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. The floor covers comics, anime, gaming, cosplay and science fiction, and the programme is built around celebrity guests, panels, photo opportunities, autographs and a large artist alley.
The 2026 guest list is headed by John Cena, alongside Temuera Morrison, Erin Moriarty and cast members from The Boys.
How the three days differ
They are not interchangeable, and this is the single most useful thing to know before buying a ticket.
Friday runs 4pm to 9pm, with a VIP preview from 2pm. It is the shortest day and by some distance the least crowded, which makes it the best day to actually shop artist alley or talk to a creator.
Saturday runs 10am to 7pm. It is the full day, the busiest, and where most of the marquee programming sits.
Sunday runs 10am to 5pm, winds down through the afternoon, and is traditionally when dealers start discounting.
What it costs
Ticket prices vary by day and by tier, and photo opportunities and autographs with headline guests are sold separately from admission, often at more than the ticket itself. Budget for those rather than discovering them on the day. Current pricing is on the official site.
Worth knowing before you go
The EXPO Centre is at Northlands, not downtown. Parking is paid, and the Coliseum LRT station is a short walk.
Cosplay is normal here, including for adults arriving on transit. Nobody will look twice.
Bring cash for artist alley. Independent artists often prefer it, and phone signal inside a hall of forty thousand people is unreliable.
Food inside is convention food at convention prices. Eating before you arrive is money saved.
When it runs
In 2026 Edmonton Expo runs from 18 to 20 September at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. It is an annual autumn event and dates are announced at the official Edmonton Expo site.
It is one of several things worth leaving the house for this month. The rest are in our guide to what is on in Edmonton for the rest of September.