the mommy avenger

If you know me even a little, you know that I love a good fandom. Books, movies, Broadway, superheroes (it’s kind of in the name), I’m all in. So it probably won’t surprise you that FanX Salt Lake Comic & Pop Culture Convention is a circle-it-on-the-calendar, plan-around-it, can’t-wait-for-it event in our house every single year. We just wrapped up another incredible weekend at the Salt Palace, and I’m still smiling about it.

For those who haven’t experienced it, FanX is Salt Lake’s comic and pop culture convention, and it’s a celebration of everything we love: movies, TV shows, comics, gaming, books, and the fandoms that bring people together. There’s Celebrity Row for autographs, photo ops with the stars, panels, artist alley, a vendor floor, gaming, cosplay contests, and more. Whatever you’re into, there’s a place for you here.

The Cosplay Is Half the Fun

I could spend the entire weekend just people-watching, and honestly, I nearly did. The cosplay at FanX is on a whole other level. The costumes are so elaborate, so detailed, and so clearly made with love that I found myself stopping people constantly just to say, “Wait, you made that?!” The armor, the wigs, the props, the makeup… the talent and dedication are jaw-dropping. Some of these costumes must have taken months, and it shows.

What I love most is that everyone is in on it together. Strangers high-five over a shared favorite character. Little kids in superhero capes stand next to grown adults dressed as villains, and everyone is thrilled to see each other. The atmosphere is so energetic and so contagious that you can’t help but get swept up in it. You walk in the door and instantly feel your shoulders drop and your smile grow. It’s pure joy, and it’s everywhere you look.

Celebrity Row

Every year, one of my very favorite parts is Celebrity Row. We get to see actors from the shows and movies we love, and this year there was a huge focus on 1980s stars, which, if you know me, was basically an invitation written just for me. Lou Diamond Phillips, Jennifer Grey, Molly Ringwald, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric (oh, how I loved The Lost Boys!), and a personal favorite, Sean Astin, were all there. My teenage heart was doing cartwheels.

When I was growing up, the chances of running into an actor from your favorite movie were practically zero. You watched them on a screen and that was that. Now I get to stand a few feet away, take a photo, say thank you, and actually talk to them. That still feels a little unreal to me, and I hope I never get used to it.

And the conversations! We had some truly wonderful ones this year. One that really stands out was with Zachary Levi, who happens to be in my all-time favorite Broadway show, one that not nearly enough people know about: First Date. If you haven’t heard of it, go look it up, you’re welcome. He was so incredibly kind and easy to talk to, and I walked away grinning ear to ear.

We also spotted Mr. T, and I will confess it was all I could do to hold myself back from flagging him down and asking him to sing “Treat Your Mother Right.” (IYKYK!) But alas, he was busy, and I have to count it as a missed opportunity. Maybe next year. We also saw Dwight and Angela from The Office, and so many others that I could go on and on. Every time you turn a corner, there’s someone else you can’t believe you’re standing next to.

Something for Everyone

What I love most about FanX is that it’s a place where people can share their love of their fandoms and just let loose. There’s no judgment, no one telling you it’s silly, just a whole convention center full of people who understand exactly why you love what you love. That’s something worth celebrating. It’s every bit as fun for adults as it is for kids, and it’s one of those rare outings where the whole family truly has a blast together, each in their own way.

Now for the Exciting News!

Here’s the best part: even though we just got back from such a great weekend, FanX is returning, and much sooner than anticipated! Mark your calendars for March 11-14, 2027, when it comes back one more time to the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City before renovations begin for an extended closure. That means you can start planning for the next one right now.

If you didn’t get a chance to go this year, make a change for next year. And here’s a little idea: FanX tickets make a fantastic Christmas gift. Instead of another sweater or gadget, give the gift of an experience the whole family will talk about for months.

I’ll be counting down the days until March. Who’s coming with me?

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