KFX takes over downtown Kelowna for its 10th celebration

Photo: Brayden Ursel

The Kelowna Fan Experience returned for its 10th edition this weekend at a number of venues across the city.

The pop culture festival attracted guests from all over B.C. and transported attendees into a world of superheroes, film, comics, anime, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, gaming and more.

“Ten years ago we started [KFX] and we were just in one room. That was just the first phase we started, and what’s really wonderful is seeing things grow, seeing faces return from year to year, and seeing new faces too,” said co-founder Brock Gratz.

“I think what’s been really wonderful to see is people develop from being someone who attends the event for the first time and then becoming an artist who’s exhibiting or becoming a performer or vendor or cosplayer and trying things out. I’m really appreciative to be a part of that.”

The three day festival kicked off on July 14 and runs until July 16 will at the Rotary Centre For The Arts, Kelowna Community Theatre, Black Box Theatre and the downtown Kelowna library.

“We’ve been really fortunate today to have a really great comic-con style turnout for our cosplay convention, and then for the masquerade which is a non judged, non competitive sort of division where we have people come up and showcase what they’ve been working on… I think seeing people build that confidence is really wonderful because there’s some incredible talent here," said Gratz.

Panel and workshop guests included Gigi Saul Guerrero, Kristicles, Ann McKinnon and Jessica Stites Mor, Aaron Johnson, John Delaney and more.

“We’ve got John Delaney coming up on Sunday, who’s a DC Comics and The Simpsons artist who’s a great talent and has been working with us for years. He actually did our posters for each of these events and it’s been super fun.”

The Kelowna Fan Experience brought in thousands of movie and entertainment lovers all weekend long and will close out on Sunday evening with their theatre play "All in one night".