You may never have heard of Kelowna before. Outside of Canada, it’s safe to call it obscure. It’s North of Seattle (Home of ECCC and PAX West) and East of Vancouver. Home to over one hundred thousand people, Kelowna’s the land of apples, golf, wine, lakes and assorted nerds. It’s Kelowna’s Arts District where, now for a sixth year, the Kelowna Fan Experience (KFX) takes form. It appears out from the mist, pushing away the chill of early March to welcome a more pleasant spring.
KFX in a Nutshell
KFX, as mentioned, takes over Kelowna’s Arts District. This little strip includes several buildings: the Kelowna Community Theatre (with it’s rear facility the Blackbox Theatre), the Kelowna Regional Library and the Rotary Centre for the Arts. You can tell you’re in Canada just by the spellings. These three buildings are spread out, but thankfully there’s a nice, scenic walkway connecting them, and a big parkade right next to the library in particular. This diverse group of buildings also helps capture part of the appeal of KFX: there’s something for basically everyone. Anime, cosplay, acting, writing, comics, tabletop games, video games, theatre fun, and even movie previews, it’s all there!
What’s Unique about KFX?
KFX is a bit unique in that it’s constantly changing, evolving. Every year the schedule is just a bit different. The 2019 schedule saw a three day structure: Friday night setup with the big attraction being a night of Cabaret in the Community Theatre; Saturday the big day with all guns firing; and finally a slower Sunday with film-making/theatre classes, improv and LEGO building. Despite this, some stuff is constant on each day. You can visit the animation room and watch selected episodes of various anime, you can check out a retro arcade, you can play-test new tabletop games, or just try out existing tabletop games with random strangers. Need cosplay tips, or want to learn how to throw axes? They’ve got you covered!
Any Familiar Faces at KFX?
Don’t worry, celebrities do show up as well. Be it 90s kids television star Phil Guerrero, Mass Effect’s Mark Meer, comic book artist John Delaney or voice actors like Tara Strong, you may recognize the body of work if not the name. Mark Meer in particular has been a real staple for KFX, doing shows including a live Dungeons & Dragons game as well as a one-man reenactment of the Walking Dead. Film premieres can also happen, as Kelowna’s seen a healthy amount of films shot in the area. Just one example is Gina Carano/Richard Dreyfuss’s Daughter of the Wolf.
Should I Go to KFX?
KFX is a down to Earth convention, one about feeling it home. All manner of geeky hobbies are on display, so it’s a great place to make new friends. You’ll marvel, you’ll laugh, you may even learn. If you want to visit the sunny Okanagan Valley, KFX is a great excuse.