Thousands line downtown streets as Parade of Wonders kicks off Calgary Expo weekend
'The fandom here is unbelievable,' says parade marshal Todd McFarlane
Thousands of enthusiasts, aficionados and fans flooded downtown Calgary on Friday as the Parade of Wonders signalled the start of Calgary Expo weekend.
The Parade of Wonders — or POW! — is Canada's largest pop culture parade.
Every year, the parade marks the start of the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo weekend. This year, the parade celebrated a decade of dazzling spectators who gathered along the streets near Stephen Avenue to watch cosplayers and celebrity guests pass by.
The convention itself draws thousands of fans annually, all there to bask in the comic-book, sci-fi, fantasy, anime and video-game culture on display at Stampede Park.
When it comes to Calgary Expo, costumes are always a key part of the convention.
This year saw a plethora of anime and sci-fi cosplayers, as well as plenty of video game characters.
And even though the sun wasn't shining, costume-wearers weren't discouraged.
Celebration of all things pop culture
Todd McFarlane was this year's parade marshal.
Born in Calgary, McFarlane is the creator of Spawn, a horror-superhero comic book series. He's also well known for his work on The Amazing Spider-Man and being the founder and president of Image Comics.
"Just being in Canada is great, but coming back to the hometown … the fandom here is unbelievable," he told Heydari from the front of the parade in the official marshal car.
"Calgary is No. 1."
Not only was he born here, he and his wife also both grew up in Calgary. McFarlane graduated from William Aberhart High School, and his wife graduated from Sir Winston Churchill High School.
He says it's always great to be back in the city.
He'll be doing a panel with his dad this weekend at the convention.
Other celebrities marching in the parade included the cast of Letterkenny and stars like Skeet Ulrich, John Rhys-Davies, Ashley Eckstein and more.
Eckstein had some advice for women who love to — or aspire to — cosplay:
"The No. 1 must-have accessory is confidence," said Eckstein. "If it brings you joy, then wear it."
Calgary's fan community is an extensive one.
Some fans told the CBC's Jo Horwood that they've been working on their costumes for months, but showing them off makes it all worthwhile.
Photos from the 10th annual Parade of Wonders
CBC also caught up with some fans at Olympic Plaza, where the energy was high and attendees were excited to welcome the celebrity parade guests to the city.
It's also where the opening ceremony took place, kicking off the official start of the 17th annual Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.
While a variety of fan expos take place across Canada, Calgary is the only city that hosts a parade.
This was also the third time CBC Calgary broadcasted the parade. It was co-hosted by Anis Heydari of the CBC podcast This is Calgary, along with the Calgary Eyeopener's Angela Knight.
Viewers will be able to rewatch the event on the new CBC Alberta YouTube channel.
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