History, Locations and Dates
| Dates | Location | Attendance | Notable guests | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 12–13, 1995 | Roy Thomson Hall | Est. 1400 | J. Scott Campbell, Kelley Jones, Joe Jusko, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bernie Wrightson, Brian Hotton, Stephen Platt, Ken Lashley, Ty Templeton | Titled: Canadian National Comic Book Exposition |
| 1996 | Holiday Inn on King (now Hyatt) | Est. 2900 | Dale Keown, Adam Hughes, Stuart Immonen, Pat Lee, Ken Lashley, Mike Zeck, Dave Ross | Titled: Canadian National Comic Book Exposition |
| 1997 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | Est. 3800 | Marc Silvestri, Dwayne Turner, Carlos Pacheco, Dale Keown, David Wohl, Rich Buckler | Titled: Canadian National Comic Book Exposition |
| June 26–28, 1998 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 6778 | Joe Quesada, Greg Capullo, Joseph Michael Linsner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Humberto Ramos, Christina Z, Amanda Conner, Chester Brown, Joe Matt, Seth | First appearance of CNAnime brand, representing Canadian National Anime Expo. |
| August 27–29, 1999 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 9620 | Jeri Ryan, Kevin Smith, Kenny Baker, Warwick Davis, Lou Ferrigno, Joe Quesada, Michael Turner, Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, Keu Cha, C. B. Cebulski | First appearance of SFX brand, representing the Canadian National Science Fiction Expo. Ray Park is under contract, but does not attend resulting in a lawsuit. |
| August 25–27, 2000 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 12,763 | Jonathan Frakes, Anthony Head, Roxann Dawson, Hudson Leick, Jeremy Bulloch, Richard Biggs, Peter David, Chris Claremont, Barry Windsor-Smith, Adam Kubert, David Finch (comics), Jae Lee, Brian Michael Bendis, the entire cast of Earth: Final Conflict | Headliner James Marsters cancels due to professional work and is replaced by co-star Anthony Head. |
| August 24–26, 2001 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 15,359 | William Shatner, James Doohan, Peter Mayhew, Traci Lords, Ethan Phillips, Ted Raimi, Ian Churchill, Jeph Loeb, Carlos Pacheco, Mika Akitaka, Scott McNeil | Canadian National Expo master brand first appears. |
| August 23–25, 2002 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 16,600 | Brent Spiner, Nicholas Brendon, Nichelle Nichols, John Billingsley, Billy Dee Williams, Andy Hallett, Adam Kubert, Joe Kubert, John Romita, Jr., John Cassaday, Darwyn Cooke. | Titled: Canadian National Expo featuring SFX and CNAnime. |
| August 22–24, 2003 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 20,655 | Leonard Nimoy, Ray Park (see notes), Adrian Rayment & Neil Rayment Twins (The Matrix), J. August Richards, Connor Trinneer, Denise Crosby, Brian Michael Bendis, Francisco Herrera, Ed McGuinness, Ken Steacy, Darwyn Cooke, Josh Blaylock, Fred Gallagher | Ray Park appears at SFX at his own expense as part of an out of court settlement brought by Hobby Star Marketing Inc. for his non-appearance at SFX 1999. |
| August 27–29, 2004 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 27,684 | Patrick Stewart (see notes), George Takei, Julie Benz, Peter Mayhew, Mercedes McNab, Anthony Montgomery, Aron Eisenberg, Cirroc Lofton, George A. Romero, Tom Savini, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Doug Bradley, Yoshitoshi ABe, Yasuyuki Ueda, George Pérez, Brian Azzarello, Mike Deodato, Rags Morales, Skottie Young, Adam Hughes, David W. Mack, Jill Thompson | Rue Morgue Festival of Fear joins the Canadian National Expo as a feature event. Patrick Stewart postpones due to life threatening heart condition. He returns to Toronto, September 25, 2004 to make it up to fans. Masquerade event moves to the John Bassett Theatre and becomes the largest in Canada. Retailer arrested on show floor for selling numerous illegal weapons including throwing stars, nunchaku, one handed crossbows and brass knuckles Link to resource site with news video. The Expo also suffers an hour long black out on Sunday afternoon. |
| August 26–28, 2005 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 39,753 | Elijah Wood, Clive Barker, Gary Gygax, James Marsters, Kevin Sorbo, Crispin Glover, Marina Sirtis, Adam Baldwin, Erica Durance, Margot Kidder, Kenny Baker, Elvira, J. Michael Straczynski, Frank Quitely, Mark Bagley, Greg Land, Neal Adams, Jhonen Vasquez, Peter Laird. | GX Gaming Expo brand first appears as a feature event. Attendance reaches facility limit and Toronto Fire Marshall's office halts ticket sales on Saturday afternoon. |
| September 1–3, 2006 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 42,947 | William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Carrie Fisher, Alice Cooper, Linda Blair, James Callis, Gates McFadden, Robert Picardo, Jeffrey Combs, Verne Troyer, Karen Black, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Brian Michael Bendis, Geoff Johns, Ethan Van Sciver, Mike Mignola, Roman Dirge, Josh Middleton | Canadian National Expo re-branded as Fan Expo Canada. The show outgrows the North Building of the MTCC and moves to the much larger South Building. Behavior of show organizers prompt creation of StopHobbystar website (now defunct). |
| August 24–26, 2007 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 43,738 | Adam West, Jonathan Frakes, Tricia Helfer, David Prowse, Malcolm McDowell, Robert Beltran, Dario Argento, Adrienne Barbeau, John Romita, Jr. and John Romita, Sr., Greg Pak, Olivier Coipel, Simone Bianchi, Paul Dini, Steve McNiven, David Finch (comics), Michael Turner, Frank Quitely, Dale Eaglesham. | World Series of Video Games partners with Fan Expo Canada to hold the largest live video game tournament ever held in Canada. |
| August 22–24, 2008 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 44,500 | Buzz Aldrin, Kate Mulgrew, Edward James Olmos, Brent Spiner, Michael Rosenbaum, Sean Astin, Laura Vandervoort, Renee O'Connor, Kristy Swanson, Jeremy Bulloch, Henry Winkler, Michael Easton, Aaron Douglas, Tobe Hooper, John Saxon, Wes Craven, Sid Haig, Brad Dourif, Ruggero Deodato, Tura Satana, Shawnee Smith, Bruce McDonald, Hugh Dillon, Alex Ross. Brian Bolland. Tim Sale, Mark Bagley, Peter David, Matt Fraction, Gabriele Dell'Otto, Marko Djurdjević, Cliff Chiang, Georges Jeanty, Alex Maleev, Keith Giffen, J. Scott Campbell, Adam Hughes, Steve McNiven, Ethan Van Sciver, Kevin Eastman, Bob Layton, Angel Medina (artist), Dexter Vines, Vic Mignogna, Derek Stephen Prince, Johnny Yong Bosch, Michelle Ruff, Richard Ian Cox, Victor Lucas, Jon Jacobs, Donna Mei-Ling Park. | Major League Gaming (MLG) replaces World Series of Video Games as partner for GX feature of Fan Expo Canada. Introduction of the "Hollywood Icon" guest label (for Henry Winkler). |
| August 28–30, 2009 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 59,000 | Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Campbell, Linda Hamilton, Thomas Dekker, Avery Brooks, Beau Bridges, Mary McDonnell, Billy Dee Williams, Walter Koenig, James Kyson Lee, Robert Duncan McNeill, Emma Caulfield, Lou Ferrigno, Dave Thomas, Leslie Nielsen, Larry Thomas, J. Michael Straczynski, Roger Corman, Udo Kier, Barbara Steele, James Duval, Max Brooks, Rick Green, Jack Ketchum, Joe Quesada, Chris Bachalo, Mike Deodato, Jr., Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis, Terry Dodson, David Finch, Olivier Coipel, Len Wein, Bill Sienkiewicz, Stuart Immonen, Yoshinori Ono, Scott McNeil, Crispin Freeman, Brad Swaile, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Aaron Dismuke, Monica Rial, Derek Stephen Prince, Steve Downes, Victor Lucas, Lil Poison, Scott C. Jones, and surprise guest Tobin Bell (unannounced). | Fan Expo Canada reveals its first Title Sponsor with Rogers High Speed Internet.
"Hollywood Icon" Celebrity guest Tony Curtis cancels due to health issue. Attendance reaches facility limit and Toronto Fire Marshal's office halts ticket sales for two hours on Saturday afternoon. |
| August 27–29, 2010 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 64,000 | William Shatner, Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar, James Marsters, Stan Lee, Felicia Day, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Michael Dorn, Peter Mayhew, Bruce Boxleitner, David Blue, Summer Glau, Michelle Forbes, Tahmoh Penikett, Dean Stockwell, Daniel Cudmore, Ernest Borgnine, Ryan Robbins, David Cronenberg, Lance Henriksen, Ken Russell, Bill Moseley, William Forsythe, Heather Langenkamp, El Hijo del Santo, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Anna Silk, Charles Band, Gary Frank, Andy Kubert, Adam Kubert, Olivier Coipel, Steve McNiven, Ethan Van Sciver, Doug Mahnke, Dan DiDio, C. B. Cebulski, Brian Azzarello, Darwyn Cooke, Bob Layton, Tim Bradstreet, Alex Maleev, Ian Churchill, Jill Thompson, Jim Valentino, Chris Sprouse, Yanick Paquette, Cameron Stewart, Jeff Lemire, Yoshitaka Amano, Ogata Megumi, Vic Mignogna, Johnny Yong Bosch, Brad Swaile, Jamie Marchi, Jason Deline, Victor Lucas, Scott Jones, Tommy Tallarico, Jarett Cale, Geoff Lapaire, Ed Greenwood, Robin D. Laws, Casts of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Riese, Lost Girl, Dark Rising, Medium Raw, I Spit on Your Grave, Durham County, Pure Pwnage, Electric Playground, and Reviews on the Run.
Cancellations: Peter Facinelli (to attend the Emmys), Glenn Danzig (disallowed by Canada Customs due to criminal record), Joan Collins (due to movie role), Leslie Nielsen (due to poor health), Thomas Jane (due to television series shooting). |
Attendance reaches facility limit and Toronto Fire Marshal's office halts ticket sales for four hours on Saturday afternoon. Significant backlash from organizers continuing to sell tickets to new patrons while paid attendees locked outside documented by media. |
| August 25–28, 2011 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | 80,000 | William Shatner, Hayden Panettiere, Tom Felton, Eliza Dushku, Katee Sackhoff, John Astin, Anthony Daniels, Robert Englund, Lexa Doig, Vic Mignogna, Jeff Smith, Junko Mizuno, Lee Majors, Gary Kurtz, Kevin Sorbo, Michael Shanks, Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, Michael Biehn, Nichelle Nichols, Marina Sirtis, Ethan Phillips, Malcolm McDowell, John Waters, Elvira, Doug Bradley, Danielle Harris, Tom Savini, Heather Brewer, Robert J. Sawyer, Martin Landau, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Caitlin Glass, Veronica Taylor, Lance Henriksen, Christopher Sabat, Mike McFarland, Brad Swaile, Joe Kubert, Anna Silk, Tony Moore, Tony Daniel, Andy Kubert, Adam Kubert, Stuart Immonen, Steve McNiven, Ethan Van Sciver, Chris Claremont, Dan DiDio, C. B. Cebulski, Steve Epting, Matt Fraction, David Finch, Jason Aaron, James Robinson, Fred Van Lente, Jill Thompson, Dan Slott, Alex Maleev, Yanick Paquette, Dale Eaglesham, Jonathan Hickman, Dale Keown, Jimmy Cheung, Jason Deline, Victor Lucas, Scott Jones, Tommy Tallarico, Jarett Cale, Ed Greenwood, Robin D. Laws, Casts of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Lost Girl, Dark Rising, Medium Raw, Pure Pwnage, Electric Playground, and Reviews on the Run and surprise guest Guillermo del Toro (unannounced). | First year running for 4 days, with Thursday added as the new extra day. Operating hours also expanded for each day. |
| August 23–26, 2012 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | Over 91,000 | Neal Adams, Olunike Adeliyi, Gillian Anderson, Kevin J. Anderson, Kelley Armstrong, Robert Bailey, Jamie Bamber, John Barrowman, Julie Benz, Jon Bernthal, Devon Bostick, Billy Burke, J. Scott Campbell, Greg Capullo, John Carpenter, Colleen Clinkenbeard, K. C. Collins, Amanda Conner, A. J. Cook, Monte Cook, Darwyn Cooke, Richard Crouse, Robin D. Laws, Tony Daniel, William B. Davis, Sergio Di Zio, Nelsan Ellis, Steve Epting, Lou Ferrigno, David Finch, Joe Flanigan, Sean Patrick Flannery, Ron Garney, Adi Granov, Ed Greenwood, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kris Holden-Ried, Alan Howarth, Rick Howland, Dale Keown, Juliet Landau, Robin Laws, Bob Layton, Stan Lee, Wendee Lee, Jeff Lemire, Christopher Lloyd, Francis Manapul, Michael Mando, J.P. Manoux, Jamie Marchi, James Marsters, Rose McGowan, Ed McGuinness, Steve McNiven, Jason Mewes, Vic Mignogna, Tony Moore, Trina Nishimura, Tom Noonan, Lisa Ortiz, Carlos Pacheco, David Paetkau, Zoie Palmer, Jimmy Palmiotti, Yanick Paquette, Dan Parent, David Prowse, Frank Quitely, Norman Reedus, John Rhys-Davies, Esad Ribić, Julian Richings, John A. Russo, Chris Sarandon, Anna Silk, Dan Slott, Kevin Smith, Ksenia Solo, Chris Sprouse, Amanda Tapping, J. Michael Tatum, Veronica Taylor, Jill Thompson, Tony Todd, Elias Toufexis, Alan Tudyk, Bob Tyrrell, Ethan Van Sciver, Nana Visitor, Billy West, Booker T, Brentalfloss. Surprise guest Sarah Wayne Callies (unannounced). Attending Casts from Arrow, Criminal Minds, Continuum, Flashpoint, Dead Before Dawn, Revolution (TV series), Lost Girl, A Little Bit Zombie, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, among others. | Long-time attendees Rob Bridges and Amy Banman are legally married at Fan Expo Canada in a wedding ceremony open to all attendees. Another long time attendee, who met a woman at Fan Expo Canada last year through Speed Dating, proposes Marriage to his girl during their return and (spoiler) she responses with "Yes." (Check 2012 Media links below to see actual video of the event). Second year running for 4 days. Operating hours were shortened by one hour each day from previous year. |
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“We do NOT know the past in chronological sequence. It may be convenient to lay it out anesthetized on the table with dates pasted on here and there, but what we know we know by ripples and spirals eddying out from us and from our own time.”
—Ezra Pound (1885–1972)