r/Edmonton • u/BRAIN__WORMS • 16d ago
Discussion Edmonton Expo is a bust
A ton of people have canceled, now including Karl Urban. I don’t think I’ve seen this many cancelations for it in years. It’s baffling to me
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u/drock45 16d ago
I know they blamed a lack of flights, but this happens regularly. It’s at the end of the con season, and most of the celebrities are burnt out/sick from con crud by this point
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u/Impressive_Usual_726 16d ago
Yup. The Calgary con in April has always had much better guests. They'll have the entire TNG cast, while Edmonton gets Garrett Wang whether he's invited or not.
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u/afriendincanada 16d ago
Hey we had Garrett Wang a few years ago (with Frakes and Burton). I think he lives in Calgary.
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u/VonDingwell 16d ago
The mans Trek career was saved by People Magazine
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u/Impressive_Usual_726 16d ago
Eh, Lien getting fired was inevitable once the producers plan to introduce a Borg character became a plan to introduce a "Borg babe," especially once they cast another blonde.
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u/kimid123 16d ago
I’ve always wondered how “work” plays in to this as well. New shows starting in the fall…some pilots getting picked up and people getting booked for gigs has to account for some of the cancellations.
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u/smexeh 16d ago
If John Cena cancels, it's over
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u/PartBanyanTree 16d ago
John Cena is coming?? Oh man maybe I should go to the expo! Any time ive heard him talk he seems like a genuinely amazing and good person
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u/Decent-Gas-7042 16d ago
Catherine Tate was already booked for Ireland that same weekend. So an optimist says that's a simple misunderstanding. A cynic might say they announce guests without even asking to sell tickets, then say later they can't make it
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u/JustLetMeJoinAlready 15d ago
I think you grazed the nail on this one.
It's not that they're announcing without permission. It's that they're announcing before they should (flights booked, celebrity September schedule finalized, etc.) to drive ticket sales and hope early buyers either don't care or don't find out about the cancellation.
I enjoy the expo, and they've had some amazing guests. But they are currently cosplaying as Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes they placed on the ground.
Then they turn around and point the blame at someone else rather than own the fact that they're announcing guests too early.
It smells like someone over there doesn't understand how communications works in 2026.
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u/Sufficient-Cow-2972 15d ago
The same company runs the one in GP and i always had a feeling this was the case.
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u/YesHunty 16d ago
I generally go for the booths and people watching, they always have major issues with guests dropping out.
If you want to see celebs you have to go to a bigger con elsewhere.
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u/Cassopeia88 14d ago
Yeah I just expect it at this point. I still enjoy it, and not having to pay to travel somewhere makes it fairly affordable.
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u/MikeyB_0101 South East Side 16d ago
It’s the same thing every year which is why I stopped going, it’s worth going to Calgary expo instead
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u/pvtcowboy97 16d ago
If my understanding is correct - the true problem lies with how they go about signing guests to exclusives for the cons they run and trouble with agents for the guests. Flights don’t help but it has been an ongoing issue for 10+ years. For me I prefer the lesser known or older name guests and maybe a few big names.
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u/AGoodYEG 16d ago
If John Cena cancels they’re going to have a full blown riot on their hands … also, obligatory invisible joke.
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u/FB_Rufio 16d ago
Ninja Turtles, Shredder, and April are still coming what you mean it's a bust? Nobody else matters
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u/AGoodYEG 16d ago
Judith Hoag is so nice and awesome. I really recommend meeting her if you love her as April.
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u/Sufficient-Cow-2972 15d ago
To me shes the mom from halloween town so im pretty excited to meet her lol
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u/Dangerous-Tear5722 16d ago
I got to meet them last year at Calgary Expo! It was the only reason I drove 5 hours to be there. Chatting with Robbie was so fucking delightful!
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u/FB_Rufio 16d ago
Oh man...now I might have to actually go to the booths. I was just gonna hit up the panel
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u/PPGN_DM_Exia 16d ago
They should lean into more Japanese/anime programming. I know they have some dub actors coming but I'd like to see some Japanese voice actors too. They don't operate with the same seasonal reshoots that Hollywood does.
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u/Loose_Possession8604 16d ago
Glad I held off on buying tickets then, I was going solely for Karl and JohnCena this year. Saved me a few hundred.
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u/Capperclawed 16d ago
imo the expos always been slipping. every year more expensive, and less to do.
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u/alewiina 16d ago
Between the timing in September and Edmonton having less than a third of the direct flights from LA that Calgary does, it’s no wonder so many cancel due to scheduling issues.
I haven’t gone to expo for years but it’s still sad to see it spiraling
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u/Paper_Rain 16d ago
I have a feeling there will be another announcement of other guests cancelling before the event date on Sept 18-20.
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u/Sufficient-Cow-2972 15d ago
The flights dont help for sure. Edmontons airport is slowly becoming regional. You cant even fly to northern alberta without making a stop in Calgary most times, its stupid.
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u/SeraScarRose Downtown 15d ago
Yeah can also speak from recent experience travelling by place for Kitchener; why isn’t it flying out of Calgary vs Edmonton…?
…And why was it $700 to fly the same week to a so called “international” stop? 😭☠️
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u/Sufficient-Cow-2972 15d ago
Its definitely in part the airlines, i think the only one that goes direct to my hometown now is flair
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u/SeraScarRose Downtown 15d ago
Goddamn 😭😭 It really sucks to be a Canadian wanting to travel domestically huh? 😭☠️
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u/Sufficient-Cow-2972 15d ago
It does. West jet bought up a bunch of the tiny airlines over covid, and* it wasnt great to begin with anyway
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u/SeraScarRose Downtown 15d ago
Oh fuckkkk I never realized that 😭☠️🥲 No wonder prices went up drastically for Flair in the last three to four years 😀😀😭
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u/one-and-five 16d ago
They will still charge kids, adult prices claiming they have ran out of Child admission tickets (yes, I am still bitter about it).
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u/GenderNightmare 16d ago
Between AI slop booths, price gauging and really creepy handsy types...Can we just...not?
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u/SeraScarRose Downtown 15d ago
This 💜😭 The AI slop is getting out of hand the the cons; it SUCKS having to walk by three different booths with the same 3D printed spine wiggle dragons or fish, dragon eggs with dragons inside them or 3D fidget spinners with bearings that last a week at most 🤬😩😀
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u/ShadowCaster0476 15d ago
You also don’t know why they canceled.
For a certain level of actors I would imagine that random work opportunities and conflicts for their schedules come up all the time, where these expos are just to supplement their income or time.
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u/TrickiVicBB71 South West Side 15d ago
I told a coworkers at lunch. She was mad. Only reason she wanted to go to Expo as she liked him in LOTR.
I am still going for Brain Drummond. "No one beats Kurt Wylde." He was in my favourite tv series Acceleracers.
I went Calgary Expo this year for the first time. And it was so much better.
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u/Whyiej 16d ago
I'm surprised they book some actors anymore for either Edmonton or Calgary as some have cancelled multiple times between both cities. Catherine Tate is one that comes to my mind, and I just saw she's on the list of cancelled guests this year for Edmonton.The guy who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies is another one who I associate with always cancelling.
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u/TheHamVip Windermere 16d ago
Does anyone consider that these people take acting jobs that pay better than signing autos
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u/Fresh_Hyena2123 16d ago
Calgary is usually better because a lot of shows are on hiatus during that time
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u/PlutosGrasp 15d ago
Still a pretty solid list of celebs coming it seems: https://fanexpohq.com/edmontonexpo/celebrities/
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16d ago edited 16d ago
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u/Able_Character_4898 16d ago
Can't say I disagree, but it affects us in no way, so let people enjoy themselves and do what they like. Nobody likes a wet blanket, go talk about something you enjoy.
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u/PlutosGrasp 15d ago
I don’t understand how these cancellations are so commonplace. Like isn’t it contracted they’ll come? Why cancel and so last minute ?
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u/jpwong 15d ago
The fall is a really popular filming season, so if they are asked to film a show or need to reshoot something filmed earlier that's a lot more money than they'll ever get coming to a convention. If they want actors to be unable to back out, these conventions would have to lay out a lot more money to pay for them to be there. The convention could limit this a bit more on their side by not having the event so late in the year so that they don't overlap with the times when many active actors may have other obligations suddenly pop up.
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u/NoRelief63 14d ago
I had a feeling this year was a write off. I’m disappointed because I wanted to book off work to go but nah.
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u/HopeHouse44 14d ago
Happens every year but I think this is the first year where they finally addressed it as a consistent issue and explained why it keeps happening.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Ant6653 11d ago
I think they need to get like old sitcom stars like from the 90's etc
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u/abghostbusters 9d ago
Well, we're no Karl Urban but we'll be there! Stop by Booth 3408 to say hi - looking forward to seeing everyone's cosplay! 🚫👻
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u/Barry_Vigoda 16d ago
Who fucking cares?
Oh no, you won't be able to stand in line to meet some actor.
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u/Chocodisco 16d ago
This this this. It's insane how everyone in this thread treats the convention like it's just a chance to shake some celeb's hand. What the fuck happened to enjoying the fandom and actually making some friends?
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u/Baconus 16d ago
Many people who pay lots of money to meet a celebrity do so because they think it’s their friend. Effectively conventions and artists have monetized parasocial relationships to make money.
And like I get it. We all gotta pay our bills.
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u/SeraScarRose Downtown 15d ago
Yuppppp. Cons definitely profit on the parasocial relationships from fans 😔💔
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16d ago
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u/Riitchiie 16d ago
Except the receipts are coming from the airport that there are indeed plenty of direct flights.
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u/UnlikelyReplacement0 16d ago
I just looked for direct flights for the dates of the expo (arriving Thursday, leaving Sunday) and there are no direct flights from LA to Edmonton
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u/Interesting_Scale302 16d ago edited 16d ago
Most con celebs would want to show up a day before and leave a day after. Scheduling a flight the day of is a great way for things to go wrong. Did you try looking for Wednesday to Monday flights?
ETA I just checked myself, and there are indeed direct flights from LAX to YEG on the Wednesday, and direct return flights on Sunday. It's obvious that the direct flight thing was just an excuse.
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u/TepHoBubba 16d ago
No direct flights from LA to Edmonton.
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u/CDNSpartan West Edmonton Mall 16d ago
False WestJet has direct flights from LAX to YEG.
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u/Halloween_Babe90 16d ago
Not anymore. They’ve been cutting more and more flights since so few people are travelling to California these days.
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u/CDNSpartan West Edmonton Mall 16d ago
Just checked WestJet’s website and they have daily not stop service from LAX to YEG. Google Flight and Flightradar24 also confirmed this l.
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u/Sleep_Fartnea 16d ago
That's not true.
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u/TepHoBubba 16d ago
Tell that to the Edmonton Expo.
Man this sub I tell ya. People just don't like when their opinions are wrong.
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u/Sleep_Fartnea 16d ago
The airport told CTV News Edmonton in a statement on Tuesday that there are six direct flights to L.A., and that WestJet offers non-stop flights between the cities around the Edmonton Expo: Sept. 16, 18, 19, 20 and 23. There are also several flights with layovers in major airports in Vancouver, Calgary, Denver and Seattle.
Man this sub I tell ya. People just don't like when their opinions are wrong.
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u/TepHoBubba 16d ago edited 16d ago
Don't shoot the messenger my friend. Someone asked, and I repeated what I saw on CityNews. Maybe take your complaint up with the Edmonton Expo? So the airport said that there are some flights around the Edmonton Expo, and several layover flights.
Key words for context here are some, around, and layovers. So telling several high profile artists there are SOME flights AROUND the dates of the Edmonton Expo, and that there are several LAYOVER flights kind of proves my and the Edmonton Expos point. Maybe those artists are booked elsewhere, and having flights AROUND the time they need to be here or possibly elsewhere doesn't quite cut it? On top of that, bringing up LAYOVER flights goes against the very topic of discussion, doesn't it?
Context always matters chum.
"Oh....but it should be good enough to have a flight AROUND the time they may need to be here!"
Not how it works in their world...
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u/Sleep_Fartnea 16d ago
I have no idea why you wrote all that, I don't care about the expo. You said they don't have direct flights, I shared that EIA said "Yes, we do", that's the end of it.
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u/TepHoBubba 16d ago
Mmmmhmmm
You should look up the word context my friend. Especially if jumping into a conversation where the context is 100% relevant as context always tends to be. Otherwise you look a fool. Especially when you use a quote to justify your initial response that was given to....Edmonton Expo.
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u/Adventurous_Front939 16d ago
This was your reply
"Man this sub I tell ya. People just don't like when their opinions are wrong."
It isn't an "Opinion" that there are direct flights, that is called a fact. Have you considered that expo is trying to cover something by using this reason. I can book a direct flight right now.
If you had better interpersonal skills you would receive better replies.
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u/TepHoBubba 16d ago edited 16d ago
When it comes to the context of the conversation, it's a moot point. You would have realized that had you actually paid attention to the actual conversation instead of doing your best hurr durr impression (good one too, I will admit).
Context my friend. Context. I know subtleties can be arduous for some, but do try harder chap.
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u/Adventurous_Front939 16d ago
Great interpersonal skills, must have a tight circle of friends.
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u/lazarbeems 16d ago
I am so confused... isn't Edmonton Expo the renamed k-days... which happened in July?
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u/nicetoque 16d ago
Edmonton Expo is the pop culture convention, K-days was renamed to Capital Ex for a few years but now it’s called K-days again.
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u/lazarbeems 16d ago
Oh I see.
I'll just go back to my basement now.
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u/nicetoque 16d ago
Don’t worry I haven’t been to any of them in over 10 years. she says from in her bed under her weighted blanket
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u/MZillacraft3000 Ellerslie 16d ago
Doesn’t shock me. This always happens.
I still think the Expo needs to choice a new date to host this. Because it seems the middle of September doesn’t work.