Star Wars at Calgary Expo 2024

This year's Calgary Expo was an incredible event that definitely lived up to all expectations. There was an amazing lineup of special guests, fascinating panels, and vendors selling unique merchandise. As soon as I stepped inside, I was fully immersed in the world of fandom and surrounded by people who shared my passion for pop culture - and especially Star Wars! The experience was truly unforgettable.

Guests 

One of the things I love about attending the Calgary Expo is the opportunity to meet my favourite celebrities, voice actors, and comic creators all in one place. This year's guest list included Denis Lawson (Wedge Antilles), Eman Esfandi (Ezra Bridger), and Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth). The event also featured the amazing voice actors Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), Grey Delisle ( Padme, Asajj Ventress and Shaaki Ti) and Dee Bradley Baker (voice of all the clones and Nubs). However, the highlight for me was the announcement of Cameron Monaghan, who is better known as the actor behind the character Cal Kestis in the Jedi Fallen Order video game series.

It was a difficult decision for me when it came to choosing who I wanted to meet at the Calgary Expo this year. However, I managed to narrow it down to guests who I knew would be a significant emotional highlight for me and enhance my convention-going experience. My top priority was to reunite with the amazing Ashley Eckstein, whom I have known since 2016 and have met a few times while attending the D23 Expo. We talked about our love for the character of Ahsoka Tano, and I showed her my latest creations of fandom fashion. However, I recently realized that I do not have any personalized autographs from her. Therefore, I decided to change that and have her autograph my Ahsoka Tano Disney Store collection doll, along with getting a photo with her at her table.

The second and third guests I was eager to meet were Eman Esfandi and Cameron Monaghan. It was an unusual opportunity to have a duo photo op with them, which I couldn't miss. After the photo op, I went to meet Eman Esfandi at his booth to have him autograph one of my favourite merchandise items ever, a canvas poster of the Spectres Mural from the Rebels and Ahsoka series. Anyone who knows me and my love for the Ahsoka series knows how emotional I became over the return of Ezra Bridger and his reunion with Hera at the end of the series. When I tried to thank him for bringing that character to life, I became completely emotional and cried. We talked about Ezra coming home and how much it meant to me to see Ezra, Hera and Chopper back together. 

The Saving What We Love Project

As a Star Wars blogger, I must acknowledge all the guests who attended the Calgary Expo and were related to Star Wars. Gina Carano was a guest at this year's Calgary Expo, and her presence led to a lot of controversy. Many attendees expressed their concerns about attending the event because of the type of people Gina can attract. This made me realize that it is our responsibility as a convention-attending community to create a safe environment for all attendees. Therefore, I teamed up with multiple vendors, including CAN Cosplay Cards, The Star Wars Fan Force, cosplay guest Eillyboo, and the Cosplay Repair Booth, to distribute a custom-designed sticker I made. This sticker shows solidarity with the Trans community that has felt unfairly targeted by Gina's past actions and words. I named this initiative the "Saving What We Love" project, inspired by the words of Rose Tico, one of my favourite Star Wars characters: "It's not about fighting what we hate, it's about saving what we love." By taking and displaying one of these stickers, we can continue to create a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community within Fandom. By the end of the weekend over 300+ stickers were distributed throughout the convention hall to attendees and celebrity guests alike. 

                                                 Panels

Although I am disappointed that my Panels didn't make the cut for the Calgary Expo this year. I firmly believe that panels can be a powerful tool to introduce fans to new and exciting topics, teach valuable skills, and provide a platform for improving various aspects of fandom. It's a great way to unite people and share knowledge and ideas with like-minded individuals. I hope to have the opportunity to present my panels at future events and inspire others to do the same, but until then here are some of the amazing Star Wars panels featured at Calgary Expo 2024.  

The first panel of the day at Calgary Expo was the Star Wars: Clone Wars cast panel, featuring Ashley Eckstein and Dee Bradley Baker, hosted by the amazing Perri Nemiroff. Unfortunately, I missed out on the opportunity to attend this panel because it was scheduled at the same time as my photo op with Eman Esfandi and Cameron Monaghan. The next event of the day was the Star Wars Cosplay Park meet-up, where all the amazing and talented Star Wars cosplayers gathered in one space to take photos and share their excitement for Star Wars.

The next guest panel at the Star Wars event was the "All About Ahsoka" panel featuring Eman Esfandi and Diana Lee Inosanto. During the panel, they shared many amazing stories from their time on set during Ahsoka, along with Diana providing some insight into what to expect from "Tales of the Empire". The last Star Wars panel was "The Mandalore Podcast Live - Discussing Star Wars". This was an interactive fan panel where the Mandalore Podcast discussed all things related to Star Wars, including the Disney Plus series, films, comics, and more!

Merchandise

Attending a Calgary expo is always a great experience for me, particularly because of the show floor. It's fascinating to see all the Star Wars-related merchandise, fan art, and collectibles. As I walk through the different booths and displays, I'm constantly on the lookout for unique and interesting Star Wars items, from intricately designed lightsabers and life-sized figures of my favourite characters to stunning paintings and prints. There's always something new and exciting to discover.

This year's Calgary Expo was no exception, and I was thrilled to come across some of my favourite vendors, including the incredibly talented Kay Pop Art. Her unique and beautiful art pieces are the highlight of her shop, and I am always obsessed with the fandom fashion items that she creates. All of her items are initially hand-painted and then turned into prints, custom canvases, and clothing items like dresses, skirts, and button-downs. At this year's Calgary Expo, Kay Pop Art debuted a lot of new items inspired by various fandoms such as The Fourth Wing, Winnie the Pooh, Star Wars, and more. My favourite new item from her shop was the Dark Side Kimono Wrap, which has a soft and silky texture and comes with essential pockets that make it perfect for everyday wear. 

The next vendor I came across was Alky Solutions, and I was thrilled to see their stall at the Calgary Expo. Alky Solutions is a store that sells an amazing collection of lightsabers. They have sabers inspired by popular Star Wars characters, as well as unique custom designs. Among all the lightsabers that I saw, my personal favourite was the BB8 lightsaber. This beautiful saber is white and orange, and its design was inspired by the beloved droid. It's lightweight and sleek, and the colours are simply stunning. I'm completely obsessed with it! 

Cosplay

Disclaimer- I have made the decision to no longer feature or support any Star Wars costuming groups on my blog. This is because of an unfortunate incident that happened during the Edmonton Expo 2023. I was assaulted by a member of the Rebel Legion/Saber Guild, and I am disappointed that none of the Star Wars costuming groups took any action against the person who assaulted me.

The Calgary Expo never fails to impress with its vibrant and imaginative display of cosplayers. The convention center is always a buzz with an eclectic mix of fans and artists, who bring to life a myriad of characters from every corner of the Star Wars Galaxy. This year's event was no exception, as attendees showcased their creativity and passion through intricate and eye-catching costumes that left a lasting impression on all who were fortunate enough to witness them. If you find yourself in the images within my post, please comment below or message me on Instagram so I can credit you correctly!

As I look back on another amazing year of the Calgary Expo, I can't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to have attended. From the vibrant cosplay scene to the countless panels and vendor booths, it truly was an unforgettable experience. The energy and excitement of fellow attendees were contagious, and I can't wait to do it all again next year! Did you attend The Calgary Expo this year if so tell me about your experience in the comments or via Instagram and make sure to keep an eye out this week for a Calgary Expo Haul on my YouTube channel along with multiple Star Wars Style segments. But until next time May the Force be with you- Chloesfandomlife