It will be a jam-packed weekend at the CN Centre and Exhibition Park.
Northern Fancon will be celebrating its 10th anniversary inside the CN Centre this weekend while the West Coast Amusement fair is set up outside and Prime Time Wrestling takes place in Kin 3 next door.
Norm Coyne, a Fancon founder and organizer, described the event as a “pop culture explosion” for people that have never attended.
“The fact we are here is absolutely phenomenal,” Coyne said about the anniversary mark. “It is massive to hit 10 years in any event. It is a huge accomplishment, my hat is off to the team and the sponsors that have gotten us here.”
“It boggles my mind that I still run into people who say they have never been to Fancon, I am absolutely hounding everyone to come out and experience it this weekend because it is going to be the biggest and best it has ever been,” he said.
Some of this year’s celebrity guests include Bill Pullman (Independence Day, Spaceballs), Dave Foley (Kids in the Hall, Fargo, News Radio) and Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves, Major Crimes, Fall of the House of Usher).
The convention also includes numerous vendors, displays, and photo opportunities.
Coyne said this year’s version of the event will be the largest they’ve ever held, and ticket sales are “tracking 25% higher than ever before.”
Fancon lining up with the fair was a coincidence this year, Coyne thinks both events running simultaneously will be good for business for both.
“We have had the fair on the same dates as us before, I think it makes it that much more of a happening space for attendees,” he said.
Prime Time Wrestling’s involvement was no coincidence, Coyne said the pro wrestling group was impressed when Brett ‘The Hitman’ Hart attended the convention a few years back and wanted to be involved.
This year, Hacksaw Jim Duggan will be at Fancon.
“The team reached out and asked what we could do together,” Coyne said. “Wrestling has become such a cornerstone of the event now and it is awesome to see it return this weekend.”
Fancon will run from Friday to Sunday (May 3 – 5) this weekend.
You can find this year’s schedule here and a full list of guests here.