Gusty winds that assailed Calgary on Friday morning could not keep hundreds of costumed attendees from having a ball at the first full day of the Calgary Comics and Entertainment Expo. The annual Parade of Wonders, which usually precedes the opening of the three-day event, was forced to cancel as wind speeds reached up to 90 km/h. Instead, the event was replaced by a DJ party outside the BMO Centre.
Mayor Leads Festivities
Hundreds of Calgarians, most dressed in colorful costumes, braved the weather to take part in the festivities as popular music blasted from speakers. Leading the event was Mayor Jeromy Farkas, dressed as video game character Mario with a large golden wrench and a green bucket-like plug suit. "It's a me, Mayor Jeromy," he roared into the microphone. "Calgary Expo shows Calgary's an amazing place, welcoming no matter where you came from, no matter who you love … you're welcome here," he told reporters after the event.
Medieval Knight in Attendance
Standing beside the stage in a line with his friends was Wade Ames, clad in medieval knight armor. The attire was not just a costume; its pieces belonged to 15th-century Britain. Ames was wearing what he called a Brigand Bean, a bunch of smaller plates riveted to a piece of cloth. "These pieces are actually out of a museum," he said. "They're based on actual pieces. These are actual weapons found in medieval manuscripts that we re-create and use." He added he cheated slightly by adding stainless steel to his armor, which weighs between 70 and 110 pounds, because "I hate cleaning up rust."
Ames said he does not just don the kit for comic events; he also uses it to fight his buddies. "We do a sport called Buhurt, which is a full-contact medieval fighting league," said Ames, who works as a chef and farmer in Claresholm during the day. "These weapons are real. We hit each other with them and it's a heck of a sport." Such comic and entertainment conventions, he said, allow him an opportunity to introduce his sport to other people. "I'm also a huge nerd but I also love sports — so being able to literally show up at comic con and bridge that gap for people that don't know this sport exists (is great). I'm like, 'Hey, you like Dark Souls? Come over here. Hey, you like Oblivion? Learn to use an actual sword,'" he said.
Medieval Guard Representation
Nearby was Sierra Love, dressed as a medieval guard with a beard sketched on her face. Love was representing the Society for Creative Anachronism, an international non-profit volunteer educational organization that focuses on skills, arts, combat and culture before the 17th century. "I'm creative and I made my own costume, and also, as a guard, you get to tell stories," she said. "I wanted to be here to represent that community."
The opening ceremony also featured celebrity guests who were presented with white cowboy hats. Among them was actor John Rhys-Davies, known for portraying Gimli in 'The Lord of the Rings', who tipped his white cowboy hat to the crowd. The three-day Calgary Expo continues through the weekend at the BMO Centre, offering panels, celebrity appearances, and vendor booths for fans of comics, movies, and pop culture.
