FAN EXPO: Chicago 2023 2023 returned to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on August 10th and ran though August 13th for their 2023 show.
Hey, everyone! Reptile was on the loose again at yet another con. This time at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont IL. What a great weekend it was for a Comic Con. The weather was pretty decent for a change, so that walk from the parking lot to the convention center was actually not bad.
First off, I want to say I think they call it FAN EXPO because there were fans everywhere. I don’t mean the fans attending the convention I mean the electric ones to move the air. Come on, Donald E. Stephens, get your act together and get those air conditioners fixed or replaced! This is no fault of FAN EXPO, so I don’t hold that against them, but I think FAN EXPO, guests, merchants, and the con-goers should have been warned or given a reduced rate. But, that is just my opinion. I overheard people complaining and learned of several leaving early due to the balmy atmosphere in the venue.
This year, FAN EXPO remapped the floor plans. They changed everything from where you pick up your badges to security checkpoints and from prop checks to the con floor layout. On the good side of this, Artist Alley was much more maneuverable, but it did cause the vendor area to suffer a little. Some of the aisles became a bit cramped. They also threw more space to the celebrity area, keeping the meet-and-greet fans from spilling out into the vendors area.
Related Coverage:
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Thursday (Pt. 1)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Red Carpet Thursday (Pt. 2)FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Friday (Pt. 1)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Friday (Pt. 2)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Friday (Pt. 3)FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Saturday (Pt. 1)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Saturday (Pt. 2)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Saturday (Pt. 3)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Saturday (Pt. 4)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Saturday (Pt. 5)FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Sunday (Pt. 1)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Sunday (Pt. 2)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Sunday (pt. 3)
FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Cosplay Sunday (Pt. 4)
Also new this year, everything was in one room. You flowed through the South hall to check-in and around to the main area from there. This wasn’t too bad, but there were a couple of choke points that could be addressed to aid the flow a bit more. FAN EXPO also moved all the food and beer vendors into one area alongside the Cosplay Community area, where they also placed the Red Carpet this year. This made viewing the Red Carpet Cosplay Show more enjoyable, as everyone was not crammed into a side hall with other con-goers trying to squeeze by to get to the panel area. The panel area was left in the same place as it was the previous years. I mean, why mess with something that was working well?
Another thing that impressed me was the space that was given to the Cosplay Community groups; the booths were easy to access and easy to maneuver from one to another. Believe me, I spent a lot of time floating around this area. They also placed the Cosplay Celebrities just outside the cosplay community area in a row backing up to Artist Alley. This was a good change because you were in the cosplay area already, instead of having to move to the other side of the con to see the cosplay celebs.
Also this year, Artist Alley was more of a “Creators Alley” with makers of various sorts mixed in with the regular artists. Because you know makers are artists too, are they not?
With all the changes this year and not holding the NON-AIR CONDITIONED venue against them, I give FAN EXPO Chicago – 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’m looking forward to going back again in 2024 and hoping there will be air conditioning.
This has been another Reptile’s Random Reviews.
FAN EXPO Chicago is the ultimate go-to event for sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming event in Chicago that attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
FAN EXPO Chicago offers exciting family-friendly attractions, events, and world-renowned Celebrities! The show, which started as Chicago Comic Con in 1972 and became Wizard World Chicago in 1998, has featured celebrities and creators like Stan Lee, Michael J. Fox, John Travolta, Carrie Fisher, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, WWE® Superstar John Cena®, David Boreanaz and many more headliners.
Everyone is a fan of something, and FAN EXPO Chicago is a place to celebrate all things pop culture. Get an autograph or a photo with your favorite guest then get the inside scoop about your favorite movies and TV shows at our celebrity panels! Watch professional comic artists battle it out in our popular Sketch Duels, learn from our “How To” workshops, and take photos with your favorite costumed characters! It’s also a great place to buy a unique gift (or treat yourself!) with a huge show floor for shopping madness.
Join tens of thousands of fans who are just like you and experience the ultimate playground for comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming. Four days of citywide events, family-friendly attractions and world-renowned celebrities await!
Show Hours:
Thursday: 4 PM – 9 PM
Friday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Saturday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Sunday: 10 AM – 5 PM
Location:
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL 60018
(847) 692-2220
To see what Cosplay Conventions are coming to your area,
be sure to check out our Cosplay Convention List!
Convention – FAN EXPO Chicago
FAN EXPO HQ is the largest comic con producer in the world. Collectively, it hosts nearly 1 million fans annually at FAN EXPO Canada, MEGACON Orlando, FAN EXPO Denver, Calgary Comics & Entertainment Expo, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Dallas, FAN EXPO Boston, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, Edmonton Comics & Entertainment Expo, FAN EXPO San Francisco, Toronto Comicon, FAN EXPO Cleveland, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO Vancouver, and Dallas FAN FESTIVAL. The list of upcoming events is available here, along with up-to-date ticket information. Discover. Celebrate. Belong.
