I finally did it! I made it to another Canadian convention outside of my home city. This time, my convention travels brought me to Regina, Saskatchewan for Fan Expo Regina.
Besides getting the opportunity to meet up with some friends and make some new ones, I was thoroughly impressed with what Fan Expo Regina had to offer. The two-day event offered hours of entertainment, including guests, shopping, cosplay, panels, and gaming.
Among the guests, notable mentions include:
- Sean Astin – Actor (The Lord of the Rings)
- James and Oliver Phelps – Actors (Harry Potter films)
- Dirk Benedict – Actor (The A-Team)
- Verne Troyer – Actor (Austin Powers films)
- Matt Frewer – Actor (Max Headroom)
- Trina Nishimura – Voice Actor (Attack on Titan)
- Jamie Marchi – Voice Actor (Fairy Tail)
- Yelaina May – Cosplayer
- Spock Vegas – Spock Impersonator
Obviously, one of the biggest appeals for myself for conventions is cosplay — and Fan Expo Regina has it in droves. Considering the attendance fits somewhere in the middle from the events I’ve previously attended, the ratio of cosplayers to non-cosplayers seems to take the majority.
Most importantly, the amount of support by local and out-of-town organizations for cosplay is fantastic to see and they all do their part to support their local communities. Practically all of the booths were accepting donations with programs they worked with in exchange for photographs or emergency cosplay repair. And, as proven by a massive increase in entries into the cosplay contest, the community is only growing.
I look forward to seeing this convention continue to grow and sincerely hope to return next year.
J. Tanooki is a Contributor for aybonline.com. She has been a lover of cosplay for over 10 years and regularly works on new and exciting cosplay projects. She actively posts about her cosplay plans, progress, and random shenanigans on her Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. Her opinion is her own.
