Everything you need to know about Calgary Expo 2025
By Ansharah Shakil, March 29 2025—
There are few annual Calgary events that are quite as exciting as Calgary Expo, the annual four-day celebration of all kinds of pop culture with all kinds of attractions. This year, Calgary Expo is taking place from April 24-27 at Stampede Park.
“Calgary Expo is all about community,” Vice President of FAN EXPO HQ and Calgary Expo show director Andrew Moyes told the Gauntlet. “It’s [a] celebration that I look forward to every year, making people’s dreams come true and putting lots of smiles on faces.”
Calgary Expo includes celebrity guests, Q&As, photo ops, panels, demos and workshops. There’s an Interactive Kids Zone, along with cosplay meetups and other opportunities to meet other fans. This year, the POW! Parade of Wonders, a signature event where cosplayers of all skill levels participate in, will have a new route, starting at Victoria Park.
Another aspect to look forward to is all the one-of-a-kind shopping. Artist Alley, which has a plethora of local and distinctive art by passionate and skilled creators, is a great example.
Moyes encouraged anyone, even students who haven’t been before, to attend, but recommended reviewing the schedule on the website.
“Plan out a little bit of your day, but [leave] plenty of time for the surprise delights that will most certainly happen,” he said.
Calgary Expo has always featured an impressive number of guests — including celebrities, the voices behind animated characters, anime stars, gaming stars, comic creators and cosplayers — and this year is no different.
Moyes expressed excitement for the appearances of stars Alicia Silverstone and Charlie Cox, as well the cast of Back to the Future, especially since Michael J. Fox has chosen Calgary as one of his few appearances for 2025.
A mini Twilight reunion will occur with Peter Facinelli, Kellan Lutz and Rachelle LeFevre set to appear. James Marsters, of Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame, will be another celebrity guest. Other highlights include Lucas Grabeel, Tyler Hoechlin, Manny Jacinto, John Boyega and Catherine Tate.
“But of course we’re not finished yet,” Moyes added. “There’s lots of great announcements still to come.”
Last year, members of the cast of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender appeared at Calgary Expo. This year, voice actors from the original animated series — Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang), Jack De Sena (Sokka), Dante Basco (Zuko) and Greg Baldwin (Iroh) — will be making an exciting appearance. There are a number of anime guests as well.
“I think we’re defined by our fandoms,” Moyes said. “It’s the way we entertain ourselves, but also a lot of these heroes, a lot of these characters, help us through interesting, challenging times or are part of the ups and downs, and they are people that we aspire to.”
For students, Moyes mentioned that attending Calgary Expo can be helpful for anyone interested in the event and entertainment industry through how-to workshops and panels.
“There’s [many] opportunities if you’re interested in going into the world of pop culture as a profession,” he said.
As the days get longer and sunnier, Calgary Expo is a celebration of the kind of bright and enjoyable things we look for once winter semester ends, and it remains a city staple. Tickets and more information are available on the Calgary Expo website.