Fan Expo Dallas is the largest sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming, and comics event in Texas, and is quickly growing into one of the largest events in North America. The three-day, family-friendly convention wrapped up another successful year Sunday after featuring one of the event’s largest lineups of celebrity guests, voice actors, comic book artists, and cosplayers to date.
The action-packed event attracts thousands of guests to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center each Spring and this year was no different.
Fan Expo Dallas gathered a wide variety of guests from all genres of pop culture. Legendary voice actors and celebrity guests from hit franchises like Lord of The Rings, Cobra Kai, Trailer Park Boys, Star Wars, and Dexter were all in attendance at this year’s pop-culture extravaganza.
This year’s biggest attraction was the reunion of the four hobbits from Lord of The Rings. The reunion was originally scheduled for June of 2020 but was canceled over concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. The quartet, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Elijah Wood, and Sean Astin, hosted a light-hearted panel Saturday evening, where they answered fan questions and joked around with the audience.
The long-awaited reunion attracted thousands of fans who happily waited hours in line for a photo op or autograph from the actors.
Zachary Brooks, a Dallas local who attended Sunday, waited in the four different actors’ lines to have his book signed — an endeavor that lasted from 11 a.m. until the event closed at 5 p.m.
“I had a lot of fun. I was with a lot of the same people while we all waited for our autographs,” said Brooks. “We all had a special experience waiting in line – many of us became friends.”
The Dallas lineup included the largest gathering of My Hero Academia voice actor stars to date. Other celebrity guests included: Brendan Fraser from The Mummy/Doom Patrol; Gina Carano from The Mandalorian/Dead Pool; Dexter stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, C.S. Lee, David Zayas, and Erik King; and several actors from popular series like Cobra Kai, Trailer Park Boys, and Superman & Lois.
FAN EXPO HQ Vice President Andrew Moyes says even the most hardcore fan is bound to find an abundance of activity and interaction to satisfy their pop-culture fixation.
“Whether it’s arriving in your favorite costume to show off to the crowds, getting the inside scoop about your favorite movies and TV shows, or learning more about the voices behind your favorite anime voice actors, this event celebrates all things fandom,” said Moyes.
“Our guests can have wildly unique experiences at sessions on the Creators Stage, participate in our signature ‘How To’ workshops, take photos with their favorite costumed characters, watch professional comic artists battle it out in our popular Sketch Duels, and search through tons of unique gifts at Fan Expo Dallas’ huge show floor,” he added.
This year’s showroom was a vast and bustling sprawl of vendor booths containing any kind of merchandise a fan could desire. From themed clothes or collectibles to metallic art prints, no category was left behind.
Cosplayers were in no short supply this year either. Attendees encountered an assortment of wacky characters as they explored the convention center. Medieval court jesters, Jedi Knights, and Disney Princesses – you name it, there was likely someone cosplaying as it.
“That’s what makes coming here each year so fun,” said Gerald Garcia. “Everyone here is really inclusive of each other and they just want to be around other people who like the same fandoms they do.”
Fan Expo Dallas 2023 will be held June 9-13 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. Information for next year’s event can be found here.
