Spider-Man and Pokemon and Darth Vader… oh my! The Fan Expo Dallas event this year was the biggest, brightest and best yet. Whether you are an out and proud anime or comics fan, or you prefer gaming and sci-fi movies, Fan Expo had a ton of attractions, events, shops and exhibits for the biggest fans. This year, May 3-5, the energy was intense, the excitement was real, and the convention center was packed with ultimate fans!
Cosplay fans were really lucky this year. The Masters of Cosplay Grand Prix sponsored by Fan Guru, and the Masters of Cosplay International were both represented. Cosplayers from Canada, Brazil, Italy and even the Philippines were in America for the first time. I saw tons of absolutely amazing costumes and adornments that ranged in theme from Star Wars to steampunk, and anime to horror. Every year, the costumes and makeup seem to get more innovative, and this year was no exception.
But Cosplay International wasn’t the only thing making it’s Fan Expo Dallas debut — the Digicon Experience was there for the first time, too! There were panels and meet and greets with Digicon guests including Inanna Sarkis, Mia Stammer, Jenn “jennxpenn” McAllister, Jay Versace, Matt Steffanina, JC Caylen, and more. This was an amazing way to honor online video and content creators with cool interactive experiences.
Fan Expo was truly a star-studded event, as celebrities were everywhere. It felt more like Hollywood than Texas! Just a few notable guests included the cast from Back to the Future (including the amazing Michael J. Fox) and the cast of Boy Meets World. Also gracing the convention center were Mia Farrow, Zachary Levi, Charlie Hunham, Pamela Anderson, Mike Colter, David Harbour, William Shatner, Keifer Sutherland, Lynda Carter, Ralph Macchio, and many more. Every day, there were big names and bright stars taking photos and signing autographs.
Even Peter Mayhew, best known for his role as Chewbacca in Star Wars, was planned to be at the Fan Expo Dallas, but unfortunately he passed away days before the event.
One of my favorite attractions at this amazing event, was Ripley’s Believe It or Not exhibit. It’s one thing to see the odd and curious things like the huge 125-pound hairball or the shrunken heads (yes, really). But it’s another kind of thrill to get up close and personal to Hollywood props that are now legend. I got to see Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and Han Solo’s original blaster from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. I also checked out the Back to the Future Part II hoverboard, Indiana Jones’ whip, and more.
Over 500 retailers that specialized in comics, gaming, horror, sci-fi, anime and more were covering the 200,000 square feet of shops. There were Fan Expo exclusive items, t-shirts, original (and amazing artwork), novels, memorabilia, hard to find items and collectibles all at my fingertips. It was the true geek’s dream shopping experience!
It was all things fandom, all weekend long. Fan Expo is where you’ll find everything from superheroes and YouTube stars to comic book artists to pop culture icons. If you’re a fan, and you’re in Dallas, this is where you belong.
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This article was written by Creatively Clo contributor, Jeni from That’s Just Jeni. Thanks for covering the Fan Expo Dallas!