Toronto Comicon, presented by FAN EXPO Canada, is the place to be for all pop culture lovers who are looking to immerse themselves in comics, sci-fi, fantasy, animation, gaming, anime, cosplay, celebrity guests, comic creators, and more this March Break! From Pokémon celebrations, Jedi hunts, a karaoke party, and a baby crawling race, to the celebrity panels, photo ops, cosplay, and artist alley attendees know and love: the magic and fandom happen at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s North Building from March 17-19, 2023.
New programming this year includes Poké-Sunday, a full day of celebrating all things Pokémon including crafts, trivia, training camp, and a trader meet-up; the Great Toronto Comicon Baby Race, where small speed racers can compete for the fastest crawl on the cosplay red carpet; and a night of magic and musical merriment at the Celeb Karaoke Party, Hosted By Emily Swallow. Additional new programming this year includes the eBay Victory Arena; Bear Sailor Moon’s Drag Extravaganza; The Toronto Comicon Lightsaber Battle; an adaptation of the traditional goldfish-scooping Japanese festival game Kingyo-Sukui; and much more!
Toronto Comicon’s Family Zone is the perfect place to spark a love of fandom in all ages, with games, activities, and programming for the whole family all weekend long. With drop-in programming for a broad range of fans, Family Zone includes craft- and button-making workshops; princess sing-a-longs; castle building and dragon defenses; Sorting Hat ceremonies; The Floor is Lava!; a Jurassic “Park” where they can go on a dino dig, capture something in “amber,” and get a dino-riffic photo op; an opportunity to learn from and draw along with Joe Wos, the Emmy Award-winning host of Cartoon Academy; and the Pokémon-activity filled Trainer Town.
Returning programming favourites include celebrity and comic creator panels; sketch duels; cosplay how-tos, red carpets, and meet-ups; sci-fi, fantasy, and gaming panels; family-friendly programming; and podcast programming in partnership with The Sonar Network and the Canadian Podcasting Awards.
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Special celebrity and comic guests at this year’s show include actor, director, and motion capture maestro Andy Serkis; Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Colby Minifie, and Claudia Doumit from The Boys; Guardians of the Galaxy’s arrow-wielding Sean Gunn; The Mandalorian’s beskar forger Emily Swallow; occult detective Matt Ryan from Constantine; Robbie Amell, Danielle Panabaker, and Carlos Valdes from The Flash; Stars Hollow’s favourite diner owner Scott Patterson of Gilmore Girls; and Task Force X’s own Mr. John Economos Steve Agee; and many other iconic guests.
Programming Highlights for Toronto Comicon include:
POKÉ-SUNDAY
Toronto Comicon is celebrating all things Pokémon all day long on Sunday, March 19, with Pokémon trivia, crafts, trade meet-ups, Pokémon Training Camp, and more!
CELEB KARAOKE PARTY, HOSTED BY EMILY SWALLOW
Everyone’s favourite Armorer and sister of Chuck is hosting a Karaoke Night! Whether someone wants to shine in the spotlight with a solo, back up their friends with ridiculous killer dance moves, catch Emily off guard with a last-minute duet, or lead the crowd in carrying on, my wayward son, this karaoke night is all about lifting each other up. Special Ticket event. 19+.
EBAY VICTORY ARENA
Board games, D&D, BattleTech, oh my! There is something for every tabletop gamer at Toronto Comicon. Visit one of our two gaming arenas and play the day away! Brought to you by eBay, Guild House, Focht’s News Network, and Board Game 2 Go.
THE GREAT TORONTO COMICON BABY RACE
For babies channeling the Flash and Quicksilver, check out the Great Toronto Baby Race! The fastest babies will be racing away with tickets to FAN EXPO Canada 2023!
KINGYO-SUKUI
Attendees can test their (fake) goldfish scooping skills at the Kingyo-Sukui Booth for a chance to win a prize! This traditional Japanese Festival game is fun for the whole family!
EXECUTE ORDER 66
There are seven Jedi hiding throughout Toronto Comicon for attendees to look out for. Some Jedi only appear for a certain amount of time, and once someone has found all seven, they can head to the family zone for their chance to win a Star Wars Prize pack!
THE TORONTO COMICON LIGHTSABER BATTLE
On the appointed day, at the appointed hour, a great battle between the forces of the Light and Dark will commence. Grab a “lightsaber” and join us. Will you be the last Jedi or Sith standing?
BEAR SAILOR MOON’S DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
An event with music, fashion, dance, and fun for all!
CARTOON ACADEMY WITH JOE WOS
Professional cartoonist and the Emmy Award-winning host of Cartoon Academy, Joe Wos, brings fun, kid-friendly drawing workshops to Toronto Comicon, where attendees can learn to doodle everything from beloved pets to mythical creatures.
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CELEBRITY PANELS
Beyond autograph signings and photo ops, celebrity guests will take part in Q&A presentations where fans can learn more about their storied lives and careers.
FAMILY PROGRAMMING
Toronto Comicon’s Family Zone is the perfect place to spark a love of fandom in all ages, with games, activities, and programming for the whole family all weekend long. With drop-in programming for a broad range of fans, Family Zone includes craft- and button-making workshops; princess sing-a-longs; castle building and dragon defending; Sorting Hat ceremonies; The Floor is Lava!; Jurassic “Park” where they can go on a dino dig, capture something in “amber”, and get an epic dino photo op; Cartoon Academy with Joe Wos, where they can draw along with an Emmy Award-winning cartoonist; and the Pokémon-activity filled Trainer Town.
CAPTIVATING COMICS
Be sure to check out the comic stage in for three packed days of drawing and colouring demos, sneak previews, industry insights, and more. Comic book superstars including Russ Braun, Jae Lee, Joshua Swaby, Peter Tomasi, and Canadians Mike Del Mundo and Agnes Garbowska will be on hand to share expert tips and tricks, or fans can take a seat and pick a side for the ultimate Sketch Duels showdowns.
Comic Artist Alley also returns for anyone interested in meeting rising stars who work the front lines of the industry. This show staple offers everything from comics and graphic novels to limited-edition prints and original artwork.
SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP
Over 400 exhibitors will be on the convention floor, specializing in everything comics, anime, gaming, science fiction, and horror. Whether it’s original artwork, graphic novels, comic books from any era, memorabilia, games, toys, or t-shirts – there are endless vendors to discover at the show.
For the full programming schedule and more information, including guests, information, tickets, and pricing, visit the official website.
