FAN EXPO Canada 2026 brought four days of fandom to Toronto’s Metro Toronto Convention Centre from August 27–30, as fans came together to celebrate comics, movies, television, anime, gaming, collectibles, and, of course, cosplay. This year’s event was particularly special as FAN EXPO Canada celebrated its 30th anniversary, bringing an impressive lineup of guests, creators, special events, and activities to the convention floor. From major celebrity reunions and milestone celebrations to incredible cosplay and the talented creators behind it, there was plenty happening throughout the weekend. And thanks to the photographers, cosplayers, creators, and fans who shared their experiences online, we can take a look back at some of the memorable moments from FAN EXPO Canada 2026 and celebrate the event well after the convention doors have closed.

Thirty years is a pretty big milestone, and FAN EXPO Canada gave fans plenty of reasons to celebrate.

The 2026 edition brought together a massive mix of fandoms under one roof, with celebrity guests, comic creators, artists, gaming, anime, collectibles, special experiences, cosplay programming, panels, workshops, meetups, and plenty of opportunities for fans to simply enjoy being surrounded by people who love the same things they do.

And with the Metro Toronto Convention Centre once again serving as the backdrop, Toronto became the place to be for one very busy weekend of pop culture.

But the 30th anniversary wasn’t the only milestone being celebrated.

Some Very Special Guests

FAN EXPO Canada 2026 featured an impressive celebrity lineup, but a few reunions and appearances stood out as particularly special.

Mark Hamill Returns to Toronto

One of the biggest highlights was the appearance of Mark Hamill, who made a rare convention appearance as part of FAN EXPO Canada’s 30th anniversary celebrations.

For generations of fans, Hamill is synonymous with Luke Skywalker, but his career stretches far beyond a galaxy far, far away. From film and television to his extensive voice-acting work, his career has made him a beloved figure across multiple generations of fandom.

His FAN EXPO appearance gave fans an opportunity to hear stories from throughout his career, including memories from the Star Wars era and his work as a voice actor. His panel also included questions from cosplayers who were invited onto the stage, adding another fun connection between the guest and the community that FAN EXPO celebrates.

25 Years in Middle-earth

Another major reunion brought Middle-earth to Toronto.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd reunited for special FAN EXPO Canada events.

The celebration also included appearances by John Rhys-Davies and David Wenham, giving Lord of the Rings fans plenty of reasons to break out their hobbit feet, cloaks, swords, and second breakfast jokes.

And yes, there was even a special Second Breakfast experience.

John Cena Closes Out the Show

FAN EXPO Canada saved another big name for the final day, with John Cena Live taking place Sunday afternoon.

Known around the world as a WWE superstar, actor, and entertainer, Cena has become a familiar face across multiple corners of pop culture. His appearance gave fans one more major guest experience before the convention wrapped up for another year.

More Fan-Favourite Reunions

The weekend also featured reunions and appearances celebrating several other beloved properties.

The cast of The Goonies gathered in Toronto, with Joe Pantoliano, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, and Sean Astin taking part in a special reunion.

Fans of Starship Troopers also had plenty to celebrate, with Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Michael Ironside, Jake Busey, and Dean Norris among the guests connected to the reunion.

With so many familiar faces from film, television, gaming, and genre entertainment, FAN EXPO Canada 2026 definitely delivered on the celebrity side of the convention.

30 Years of Resident Evil

Speaking of anniversaries, 2026 also marked 30 years of Resident Evil.

To celebrate, FAN EXPO Canada hosted what was billed as the world’s biggest Resident Evil reunion, bringing together an impressive collection of actors connected to the classic survival-horror franchise.

The reunion included:

• Alyson Court — Claire Redfield

• Sally Cahill — Ada Wong

• Charlie Kraslavsky — Chris Redfield

• Catherine Disher — Jill Valentine

•Paul Mercier — Leon S. Kennedy

• Riva Di Paola Lombardi — Rebecca Chambers

• Richard Waugh — Albert Wesker

• Jarelle “Jay” Christie — Jim Chapman

• Jacob Barker — Kevin Ryman

• Evan Sabba — Brad Vickers

• Laura Thorne — Yoko Suzuki

• Vittorio Altomare — Mark Wilkins

• Genevieve Buechner — Ashley Graham

• Andre Pena — Luis Serra

The reunion was especially fitting for a Toronto convention, considering much of the voice work for classic Capcom games was recorded in Canada.

For longtime Resident Evil fans, having so many familiar voices together in one place made the franchise’s 30th anniversary celebration a particularly special addition to FAN EXPO’s 2026 lineup.

Of course, we can’t talk about FAN EXPO Canada without talking about cosplay.

FAN EXPO’s 2026 cosplay programming featured something for practically every kind of cosplayer, from experienced competitors and professional creators to first-time cosplayers and younger fans just discovering the hobby.

The dedicated Cosplay HQ gave the community a place to connect, while the weekend included cosplay meetups, panels and workshops, the Cosplay Showcase, Cosplay Red Carpet, Kids’ Cosplay Red Carpet, Cosplay Hideaway, Cosplay Hallway Awards, and Mega Cosplay Meetups.

There was also plenty of opportunity to learn.

Workshops covered everything from fabrication and performance to specialized costume techniques, including “Totally Metal! Create Your Own Chainmail”, hosted by Cowbutt Crunchies.

And then there was the competition.

Saturday brought the Masters of Cosplay: Maple Leaf Qualifier, where some of Canada’s talented cosplayers took the stage for a chance to represent Toronto at MEGACON Orlando 2027.

The Best in Show award went to Emyecosplay, earning them a place at the next stage of the Masters of Cosplay competition in Orlando.

Congratulations to Emyecosplay!

It’s always exciting to see where cosplay competitions can take talented creators.

FAN EXPO’s Cosplay Guests brought together a great mix of established creators, makers, performers, and emerging talent. Here are seven of the creators who helped make cosplay such a big part of the 2026 event.

Cosplay and photography have always gone hand in hand, and conventions like FAN EXPO Canada create countless opportunities for the two communities to connect.

A great cosplay can be appreciated on the convention floor, but photography allows that work to live on long after the event is over. A carefully crafted costume, a strong pose, the right location, and a photographer who understands the character can turn a convention encounter into a lasting piece of art.

That’s also why respectful interaction matters.

For photographers, asking permission before taking or publishing someone’s photo is an important part of supporting the cosplay community. And for cosplayers, being able to share their work in a welcoming environment is a big part of what makes conventions special.

The result is a constantly growing collection of photographs that helps preserve the creativity and personality of a convention long after the doors close.

Cosplay may be one of FAN EXPO’s biggest attractions, but there was plenty more to explore.

Artist Alley once again brought together a wide range of comic artists, illustrators, writers, and creators. Among the names represented at the 2026 show were Larry Houston, Michael Cho, Richard Comely, Brett Breeding, Denys Cowan, and Lee Weeks, along with many other talented artists.

One particularly fun feature was Comics Xplosion, where artists created live paintings on canvas while fans watched. Each artist had a limited amount of time to work, with the finished pieces then going up for auction.

Among the standout pieces were a Joker painting by Johnny Desjardins and a Galactus/Silver Surfer piece by Casey Parsons.

It’s a great reminder that conventions aren’t just places to meet celebrities—they’re also places where fans can discover and support the artists who help shape the worlds we love.

The show floor itself was another celebration of fandom.

LEGO had a particularly impressive presence, featuring displays and experiences connected to Pokémon, Spider-Man, and Star Wars.

One of the biggest attractions was a massive Star Wars AT-RT built from more than 142,000 LEGO bricks, reportedly taking more than 1,000 hours to assemble.

There was also a life-size Pikachu, along with a Pokémon-themed Make & Take experience.

For fans who love collectibles, toys, models, comics, art, and all those wonderfully geeky things that are difficult to walk past without stopping, the exhibitor floor offered plenty to explore.

At the heart of FAN EXPO Canada is something that can’t really be measured by guest lists or floor space: community.

It’s the cosplayer who spends months building a costume.

It’s the photographer waiting for the perfect pose.

It’s the artist drawing at their table.

It’s the fan finally meeting someone whose work they’ve loved for years.

It’s the friends who meet up every year, the families discovering a new fandom together, and the first-time attendee who walks through the doors wondering where to begin.

Those moments are what turn a convention from an event into an experience.

And FAN EXPO Canada’s 30th anniversary was a pretty fitting occasion to celebrate all of them.

A convention this big creates a lot of memories, and fortunately, many of them were captured and shared by the people who were there.

From walkthroughs of the show floor and cosplay showcases to interviews, panels, photography, and personal convention experiences, there’s no shortage of ways to get another look at FAN EXPO Canada 2026.

We’ve gathered a selection of videos and other media from around the community that offer a closer look at the weekend and the fandom that filled the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

So, if you’re ready for a little more FAN EXPO Canada, sit back, press play, and enjoy the memories!

FAN EXPO Canada 2026 was a celebration of 30 years of fandom—and judging by everything packed into those four days, there was certainly plenty to celebrate.

From Mark Hamill and the Lord of the Rings reunion to Resident Evil’s 30th anniversary, from LEGO builds and Artist Alley to the incredible cosplayers and creators who continue to push the hobby forward, the weekend brought together so many different sides of pop culture under one roof.

But perhaps the best part is that the memories don’t have to end when the convention does.

The costumes will be worn again. The photos will keep circulating. The stories will be retold. New creators will be inspired. And somewhere, someone is probably already starting work on the cosplay they’ll bring to Toronto next year.

Until then, keep creating, keep sharing, keep supporting the people who make this community so amazing—and most importantly, keep doing what you love.

For the Love of Cosplay.