FAN EXPO San Francisco is coming to an end.
In a recent statement posted on its official Facebook page, the convention said it will not move forward in the city after being unable to secure dates at Moscone Center that would meet the experience it aims to deliver.
“For the past five years, you’ve made FAN EXPO at the Moscone Center something truly special. As we looked ahead, we weren’t able to secure dates that meet the experience we’re committed to delivering. Because of that, we’ve made the difficult decision not to move forward with FAN EXPO San Francisco.”
The announcement closes the book on one of the Bay Area’s few major pop culture conventions, and one that quickly found its place with local fandom. Since 2022, FAN EXPO San Francisco brought Northern California fans access to major names in entertainment, along with panels, autograph sessions, cosplay, collectibles, and a sizable convention experience that the region rarely gets on a regular basis.
For Star Wars fans, the convention built a strong track record in a short time. Over the years, its guest lists included Mark Hamill, Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Giancarlo Esposito, Manny Jacinto, Christopher Lloyd, Ming Na Wen, Katee Sackhoff, Eman Esfandi, Carl Weathers, Alan Tudyk, Cameron Monaghan, Denis Lawson, Temuera Morrison, Ray Park, Daniel Logan, Emily Swallow, Vivien Lyra Blair, Ashley Eckstein, Vanessa Marshall, Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor, Taylor Gray, Matthew Wood, Catherine Taber, Helen Sadler, Nika Futterman, and others.
FAN EXPO described the move not as “goodbye to the fandom,” but as “a shift.”
Still, for San Francisco fans, the loss is real. In a region with few conventions of this scale, FAN EXPO San Francisco gave local fandom something big to anticipate each year, and its absence will be felt.