Champlain Valley Sci-Fi Expo Comes to Town
- Essex Junction will host a family-friendly sci-fi, fantasy, and horror expo April 25–26 at the Champlain Valley Exposition. - The two-day event features exhibitors, costume contests, vendors, and pop-culture attractions for all ages. - Organizers say it’s a regional draw for fans and families, offering local economic and cultural benefits (rutlandherald.com).
Essex Junction will turn into a pop-culture convention floor this weekend when the Vermont Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Expo opens April 25-26 at the Champlain Valley Exposition. (rutlandherald.com) The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. Organizers and the venue list it as the seventh annual edition. (cvexpo.org) Vermont Gatherings, the organizer, says the expo will feature more than 150 exhibitors, including authors, artists, comic creators, game designers, podcasters, fan groups, cosplayers, prop makers and specialty vendors. One-day tickets are listed at $20 and two-day tickets at $30. (vtgatherings.com) The programming is built around science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal themes, comics, gaming and pop culture, with costume contests and other attractions aimed at families as well as dedicated fans. Champlain Valley Exposition describes it as an all-ages event. (rutlandherald.com) That mix puts the expo in the same lane as the growing regional convention circuit, where smaller cities host niche fan events that combine shopping, cosplay, live activities and community meetups in one weekend. FanCons lists the Vermont show among 2026 convention dates in Essex Junction. (fancons.com) Organizers told the Rutland Herald the expo draws fans and families from around the region, not just Chittenden County. They said the event brings both cultural activity and spending to local businesses. (rutlandherald.com) The venue itself is one of Vermont's larger event grounds, hosting trade shows, hobby events, concerts and the annual Champlain Valley Fair at 105 Pearl Street in Essex Junction. That gives the sci-fi expo an indoor site already used to handling regional crowds. (cvexpo.org) Last year’s expo was billed as the sixth annual event on April 26-27, 2025, and the 2026 show keeps the same spring slot while expanding the branding to emphasize horror alongside sci-fi and fantasy. By Saturday morning, the question in Essex Junction will be how many space knights, superheroes and monsters show up at once. (munsters.com)
