The Ultimate Guide to Fan Expo Denver
If you’re looking for a cool con event to attend that is more accessible, affordable and just as fun as Comic Con San Diego I encourage you to give FanExpo Denver a chance. Let’s be clear, Comic Con San Diego is THE event to attend. But if you don’t have the time to go to San Diego or are looking for an event that is a little smaller this is a fantastic alternative. I’ve actually attended and side-hustled at Fan Expo so I have some tips and things to consider if you’re planning to attend from out of state or if you’re from Denver. Here’s the Ultimate Guide to Fan Expo Denver.
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Plan Your FanExpo Denver Budget
I don’t think I understood how many cool items I found myself wanting to buy as I walked up and down the Expo Hall and the space. Here’s what I would encourage you to think about before making your way to the Convention Center.
Out-of-State FanExpo Attendee Budget
- Transportation to Colorado
- Hotel
- Meals
- Fun
- FanExpo special events
- Swag
- Cosplay costs
- Food and drinks inside the venue
- Tickets-$39-$129 depending on when you purchase your tickets and the type of package that you purchase.
- Fan Expo Denver is now a 4 day event!
- In-venue experiences
- Photos with special guests
Denver FanExpo Attendee Budget
- Transportation to the venue
- Parking-I actually would recommend parking at a Park-in-Ride and then taking the train into town. I-25 and Broadway is a good location and has a constant security presence.
- Use the SpotHero or ParkMobile to find
- Tickets-$39-$129 depending on when you purchase your tickets and the type of package that you purchase.
- Food and drink in the venue
- Swag
- Cosplay costs
- Fun
- In-venue experiences
- Photos with special guests
Be prepared to use a lot of CASH during your time at the FanExpo. There are ATMs in the venue. But, many of the vendors prefer to take cash vs. cards which may be tricky because of being inside a convention center venue.
The Colorado Convention Center Venue
Let’s be clear, this place is massive. One thing that attendees need to prepared for is a lot of walking and entering through secured lines on Welton Street or the eastern side of the building.
- Security-You will go through security before going inside the building. The last time I was there they were still checking cosplay weapons as well, so consider that when designing your costumes.
- Badges-For some reason I feel like there was a QR code involved. Do know that there will be signage and staff at the event to assist you just in case you get confused.
- ADA and general accessibility-The building is ADA compliant but if you need additional accommodations do read through the FanExpo website and reach out before arrival. There are elevators and I do believe that there was a lactation room as well last year.
- The event uses the street level or main floor in addition to the massive upstairs Expo Hall. Plan on walking A LOT.
- Seating-Depending on where you are in the building, you may end up sitting on the floor.
The Colorado Convention Center is a massive space so keep that in mind as you plan out your cosplay, parking and accommodation. There is a light rail stop adjacent to the Convention Center so you can opt to stay at a hotel outside of Denver’s city center and save a little money.
3 Things that I’m Excited About for FanExpo Denver
The Panels
Last year I attended some great panels and I’m really looking forward to the panels in 2023. I would love to see conversations on the following topics:
- Reimagining and reinterpreting our favorite characters-Why are some fans so upset when actors of color play their favorite fictional beings?
- The best independent books published in 2023-Is self-publishing still worth doing?
- How The Last of Us became the best adaptation of a game, what other games should be adapted next?
Celebrity Guests
These were the guests who were slated to attend in 2023. I’m looking forward to the roll out for the 2024 attendees and know that they’ll be just as amazing as the 2023 guests.
- Giancarlo Esposito-He was so popular last time and I imagine that will be the same this time. If you would like to see him-plan on waiting!
- Katee Sackhoff-I’m a huge fan of hers from Battlestar Galactica (newest iteration)
- Jonathan Frakes-Star Trek! Loving him in Picard right now.
- Michael Dorn-Star Trek! Loving his reimagined Worf who is low-key a pacifist.
- Gates McFadden-Star Trek! Loving her in Picard. I have some theories about her character.
- Brent Spiner-Star Trek! Will he show up in some form or another in Picard??? I just watched Picard the night before I published this and I’m so excited!!!
Geeking Out with Blerds and Fellow Fans
I am what is affectionately called a “Blerd” a Black nerd. I’ve loved watching Star Trek since I was a kid, was completely invested in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and watched Black Panther with a sold out crowd of 9,000 movie viewers at Red Rocks here in Colorado. There is nothing better than getting the chance to talk about my favorite shows, cosplay and support nerds from all walks of life.
Gentle Request: More Diverse Celebrity Guests Please (Some Suggestions)
I need some more diversity in terms of celebrity representation. I would love to see the following actors and actresses at FanExpo Denver:
- Keke Palmer-Nope (Emerald Haywood)
- Daniel Kaluuya-Nope (OJ Haywood)
- Kit Young-Shadow and Bone (Jesper Fahey)
- Amita Suman-Shadow and Bone (Inej Ghafa)
- Tenoch Huerta-Wakanda Forever (Namor)
- Steven Yuen-Nope (Ricky “Jupe” Park)
- Idris Elba-Luther!
- Gina Torres-Serenity, Firefly, Alias (Zoe Washburn)
- Angela Bassett-Black Panther/Wakanda Forever (Queen Ramonda)
- Jenna Ortega-Wednesday
- Michelle Yeoh-Everything, Everywhere All at Once, Star Trek Discovery (Captain Phillippa Georgiou)
- Michelle Heard-Picard (Raffi Musiker)
- Zendaya-Dune (Chani)
- Jason Momoa-Dune, Aqua Man
- LeVar Burton-Star Trek (Geordi La Forge)
- Sonequa Martin–Green-Star Trek Discovery (Michael Burnham)
- David Ajala-Star Trek Discovery (Cleveland “Book” Booker)
- Shazad Latif-Star Trek Discovery (Ash Tyler)
- Ismael Cruz-Rings of Power (Arondir)
- Cynthia Addai-Robinson-Rings of Power (Miriel)
Additional Celebrity Guests
Who else would you like to see at FanExpo Denver? I also have some additional favorites that I would like to see.
- Charlie Hunnan-PLEASE, PLEASE bring him back (Sons of Anarchy)
- Edward James Olmos-He was so nice! (Miami Vice/Battlestar Galactica, Mayans M.C.)
- Ruby Stokes-Lucy Carlyle (Lockwood & Co.) I also hope that Netflex films a season 2
- Cameron Chapman-Anthony Lockwood (Lockwood & Co.)
- Tati Gabrielle-The Chilling Tales of Sabrina (Prudence)
- Matt Smith-House of the Dragon (Daemon Targaryen)
- Paddy Considine-House of the Dragon (Viserys Targaryen)
- Emma Darcy-House of the Dragon (Rhaenyra Targaryen)
- Olivia Cooke-House of the Dragon (Alicent Hightower)
- Karl Urban-The Boys (Billie Butcher)
- Laz Alonso-The Boys (Mother’s Milk)
- Antony Starr-The Boys (Homelander)
- Jesse T. Usher-The Boys (A-Train)
- Tomer Capone-The Boys (Frenchie)
- Karen Fukuhara-The Boys (Kimiko)
- Chace Crawford-The Boys (The Deep)
I have more actors that I would love to see but I feel like this is a solid list to work from and if I keep adding more the list will get out of control
Things to Do While in Denver for FanExpo
There are so many things to do when visiting Denver so I thought I would share some activities to consider while your here.
Visit Rocky Mountain National Park
The park is so beautiful and is in the top 5 most visited national parks in the United States. Because of that, I recommend that you take a tour of the park and leave the driving to someone else. Click the following link for more details.
Driving through the mountains is a skill and dealing with thousands of other tourists at the same time can be so overwhelming. These tours are also great if you don’t plan on renting a car.
Visit Meow Wolf
If you’re looking for a whimsical and fun space to explore and have fun, Meow Wolf Denver is a must visit while you’re in town. I’ve even written a review about what to expect and you can check it out here.
Red Rocks Concert
See Zed’s Dead at Red Rocks on the Sunday that the FanExpo closes. If you like EDM (electronic dance music) Red Rocks is one of the best venues to enjoy live music. Take a party bus there and have a great time.
Go to McGregor Square
Hang out in McGregor Square, eat a meal, grab a drink and head over to Coors Field for a baseball game. The Saturday night Colorado Rockies game is a fireworks game as well.
Grab a Great Cup of Coffee
Denverites take their coffee seriously. There are a ridiculous number of local shops that roast their beans or source their beans from local roasters. The baristas also take their craft very seriously. I’ve even included a list of the 21 Best Denver Coffee Shops in Denver.
How to Save Money on the Fan Expo Denver
It’s a fantastic experience so start saving now! You can literally begin saving by opening a new Fan Expo Denver savings account. Then there’s actual saving on the cost of having the experience.
- Work the event-I’ve had fantastic times working at Fan Expo Denver as a side-hustle. Get paid to attend the event. There are a few things to consider. First, the earlier you sign up to work the event the more likely it is that you may have some flexibility with your schedule request. You may end up working during a panel or experience that you’re really excited about. In my case, I just wanted to be at the Fan Expo and didn’t have specific plans for the event. You may get to hang out with your favorite celebrities (but, it’s not guaranteed) I helped out next to William Shatner, THE Captain Kirk of Star Trek and Michael Rooker’s (Guardians of the Galaxy) lines. Michael, in particular, was incredibly fun to watch and meet.
- Side-Hustle leading up to the event-I’m working on this post several months before the event. Start side-hustling once a week or a couple of times a month and allocate those funds into your Fan Expo savings account.
- Be creative with your cosplay-Depending on the type of cosplay you decide to embrace, your expenses could potentially go through the roof. Make sure to think about the type of costume you would like to wear, stop by your favorite thrift store on 50% off days and get your costume together. Ask your friends for missing components to your costume. You’d be surprised by who has stuff just hanging around.
- Do your research now-Start going online to check on the prices of some of the items that you’re considering buying. That light saber you’ve been thinking about? Google it, check on the price, and see if your favorite company that sells it will be at Fan Expo.
Fan Expo Denver has the potential to be a little pricey if you don’t plan well. Make sure to sit down and think about what you would like to prioritize while you’re there. If you’re looking to buy a light saber
Fan Expo Denver Rocks
If you’re thinking about flying into Denver to attend Fan Expo Denver, I highly recommend it! Denver is so much fun during the summer and there’s a ton to do. Here’s some last minute resources.
- Light packers-If you’re a super light packer and don’t want to check your luggage and just bring a personal item, the Mocare Travel Duffel Bag works perfectly for a short trip. I used it in March when I flew to Las Vegas for a conference. My favorite thing about this bag besides all of the compartments and that it is squishy, is the separate bottom compartment that you can store shoes and swimsuits in. I would caution you to NOT overpack this bag. Make sure that you pack your clothes in such a way that your bag will slip down easily in the personal item measurement device that Frontier/Spirit and other low-cost carrier staff will have you check your bags in. I usually go to an unoccupied gate for the same airline, check my bag in the measurement device-repack it if necessary and then I’m all set before my trip. I’ve shared an image of the bag that I have below. It’s a great price too.
- Denver is a high altitude location-If you’re flying in from sea level please be mindful of how high altitude can impact your health.
- Parking around the Convention Center can be a little confusing, don’t forget to check for available parking spots or just park at a park-n-ride and take the train into town.
If you have the time, make sure to check out Boulder or a mountain town while you’re here. There’s so much to do in Denver and it’s a lot of fun helping people reimagine what visiting Denver could look like. Fan Expo Denver is one of my favorite events during the year. I love the attendees, having a chance to talk about real and imagined places and just having a moment to embrace whimsy.