the mommy avenger

Every September, Salt Lake City transforms into something magical. The streets fill with superheroes, princesses, wizards, stormtroopers, and more characters than you could possibly count. That’s the power of FanX, Utah’s biggest pop culture convention. If you’ve never been, think of it like the ultimate fan gathering—thousands of people coming together to celebrate comics, movies, TV, books, games, and every corner of geekdom. And each year, it just gets bigger and better.

This year was no exception. FanX 2025 was packed wall-to-wall with panels, vendors, celebrity signings, and of course, cosplay—lots and lots of cosplay. What makes FanX so special is the atmosphere. Everyone’s just happy to be there. It’s a place where you can geek out about your favorite fandom, strike up a conversation with a stranger about the latest Marvel movie, or high-five someone dressed as your favorite character. Honestly, it’s like an adult version of Halloween—you get to play, dress up, and for a few days, just be a kid again surrounded by likeminded fans.

For me, one of the best parts is always the cosplay. I don’t dress up myself, but I love seeing the creativity on display. This year, though, I had a front-row seat to the whole process because my niece went all in. She created three stunning costumes over the weekend, including her big showpiece: Padmé Amidala. Watching her walk across the stage in the Cosplay Contest was a total highlight. The detail she put into her costume was incredible, and she held her own against some seriously talented competitors. That contest is no joke—the craftsmanship, the passion, the energy from the crowd cheering them on—it’s all electric.

And then there’s the celebrity guests. One of my absolute favorite parts of FanX is getting to see the stars who shaped so many of the shows and movies I grew up on. This girl, as you know, is an 80s fanatic, so seeing favorites like Sean Astin(isn’t he the greatest?!), John Rhys-Davies, Jerry O’Connell, Henry Thomas, Andrew McCarthy, Soleil Moon-Frye, and John Ratzenberger was such a treat. And then there was Henry Winkler, who is every bit as kind and genuine in real life as you’ve heard. I also had a total fangirl moment meeting Catherine Tate. Sure, most people know her from Doctor Who or The Office, but my heart belongs to her hilarious sketches from The Catherine Tate Show. To see her in person was amazing. And that was just a handful of the incredible lineup—FanX packs the schedule with so many stars every single year.

But that’s the thing about FanX—it’s never just one experience. There are panels that make you laugh until your sides hurt, meetups where you finally get to connect with people who love the same obscure fandom you do, and vendors with aisles and aisles of collectibles, artwork, and treasures you didn’t even know you needed until you saw them. You can go with family, with friends, or even solo, and you’ll still feel like you belong.

We always love bringing the family to FanX, because it truly has something for everyone. The energy, the creativity, the shared joy—it’s contagious. Every year we say, “Wow, that was the best FanX yet,” and then somehow, the next year tops it. It just keeps getting better and better.

So if you’ve ever thought about going but haven’t yet, let this be your nudge. Be sure to sign up for news and alerts from FanX so you don’t miss out next year—you’re going to want to be there. Whether you’re decked out in full cosplay or just along for the ride, FanX is pure fun, start to finish. And trust me—you’ll walk away counting down the days until the next one.

_{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*}