More Than Dress-Up: Cosplay builds community in Lethbridge

By Lethbridge Herald on March 31, 2026.

Herald photo by JOE MANIO Fourteen-year-old Em Hilford takes the stage after being announced the winner of the 2026 Lethbridge Entertainment and Collector Expo Cosplay Contest, as Superman, one of the judges played by Donavan Basarowich, watches. Hilford wowed judges and the audience with her 100% homemade costume which was complete with an articulating dragon

By Joe Manio

Lethbridge Herald

Capes moved through the aisles, armour rang with each step, and cameras lifted as cosplayers crossed paths like visitors from overlapping worlds. For a few hours, the 2026 Entertainment and Collector Expo didn’t just host cosplay—it leaned into it.

The busiest day of the three-day event, Saturday saw the energy build steadily. Doors opened at 10 a.m., and by mid-afternoon, the scene resembled a multiverse collision more than a trade show.

“It’s awesome to see all the cosplay outfits and how unique these people are,” said organizer Brendan Barclay. “The turnout seems the same every year, but the number of people dressed up keeps rising.”

The cosplay contest highlighted talent across ages. 14-year-old Em Hilford took first place with a fully homemade costume, complete with a large, articulating dragon draped across her shoulders that wowed judges and audience alike.

From the stage, emcee Katie Herrington, dressed as Rogue from the X-Men, had a clear view.

“Saturday was incredible,” she said. “The amount of participation, the enthusiasm—everybody cheered. It was just a really positive feeling.”

Cosplay—short for “costume play”—is often described as dressing up as characters from film, TV, games, and comics. But that barely scratches the surface. What began in Japanese fan conventions in the 1980s has grown into a global subculture of craftsmanship, performance, and community.

And, as Barclay points out, it’s often misunderstood.

“A lot of comments we hear compare it to Halloween,” he said. “It’s not putting on a costume and asking for candy. It’s dedication and hard work to make outfits that represent what you’re passionate about.”

Herrington keeps it simple.

“Cosplay is about loving something so much that you want to create a community around it,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like—you absolutely can do it.”

Openness and participation mattered as much as presentation.

“There was one individual too scared to compete,” Herrington said. “But she got up there—and ended up placing. That’s what stands out.”

Across the floor, that spirit played out quietly. First-time cosplayers stood alongside veterans in intricate builds. Families browsed vendor tables while photographers captured fleeting moments.

Costumes ranged from simple store-bought pieces to complex designs requiring months of sewing, sculpting, and 3D printing. For many, especially younger participants, it’s both a creative outlet and a gateway into community.

“Cosplay is the heart of any convention or expo,” Barclay said. “It brings people together and gives them a chance to meet others with similar interests.”

That connection extended beyond traditional cosplay this year with the addition of the Company of the Black Spear.

The Lethbridge-based medieval reenactment and armoured combat team trains in Historic European Martial Arts and competes in Buhurt, a full-contact sport with steel armour and blunted weapons. In its own way, it’s cosplay pushed to full-contact sport.

For Madi Aitken, who placed third in Saturday’s contest and is also a Black Spear member, the link is clear: “Full-contact cosplay.”

In her world, armour isn’t just for show. Some suits weigh 40 to 80 pounds, turning every movement into something deliberate and demanding. For her team, it’s more than a club—it’s trust and shared experience.

The addition of the group proved successful.

“I wasn’t expecting it to be that great of a fit,” Barclay said. “They’ll definitely be back next year… with maybe new events and activities.”

For Herrington, whether on stage or off, the point is simple.

“What matters is how much fun you’re having,” she said. “If you’re not having fun, then what’s the point?”

By Sunday, as the final day wound down, the illusion began to fade. Vendors packed up. Armour came off piece by piece. Masks lifted, revealing the everyday faces behind extraordinary creations.

But the momentum didn’t disappear. If anything, it’s building.

“The first year didn’t have much cosplay,” Barclay said. “This year, many more people participated, thanks in part to our Gamut Cosplay Collective.”

With plans already underway for next year and the possibility of more cosplay-focused events throughout the calendar, the trajectory is clear.

The portal may close at the end of the weekend, but for many cosplayers—where Halloween is less a date than a mindset, and often where it all began—it never really shuts at all.