Exciting weekend for Montreal Comiccon and Hobby fans

It’s going to be an exciting weekend for convention-goers in Montreal.

Montreal Comiccon Holiday Edition is taking place at Palais des congrès, with a special addition this year: the first edition of Festival Hobby.

“It’s really interesting to have the two of them coexist in one space. I’m excited to see how it’s going to be. It should be a lot of fun,” said Jason Rockman, spokesperson for Montreal Comiccon and Festival Hobby.

What’s even more exciting is that general admission tickets are free.

Festival Hobby is the perfect place for sports cards collectors.

“We’ve never done this before, and it’s our first year really putting a focus on sports card collectibles. You know, sports athletes coming to meet people, so it’s really a first time for us. We’ve always focused on pop culture, but I think under the pop culture umbrella, there’s a lot of room for sports. A lot of collectors, you know, that collect comic books or autographs from actors will cross over and have some sports interests as well,” explained Rockman.

Attendees can expect over 125 exhibition booths, complete with collections of sports cards including hockey, baseball, and more.

“I think what’s great about this edition is that the focus is, especially for the holiday edition of the Con, it’s really focused on the exhibitors. It’s a chance for people to come do some last-minute Christmas shopping. It’s a chance for people to get together who haven’t seen each other since July, because we do our Comic Con once a year, so a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, I want to see you again,’ and they get to see each other during the holidays. And I think the fact that we have a sports component to it this year with Festival Hobby is really exciting,” said Rockman.

Specialized dealers of Pokémon and Magic cards will also be present. You can also find coveted memorabilia and autographed pieces.

Card grading companies will also be available to appraise collectibles.

“CGC is going to be there, and they can actually take submissions for sports cards that want to be graded, because a lot of people that collect want to have something graded with a third-party grading system. That way, the value is, you know, it just brings it up by a ton,” said Rockman.

And if that wasn’t enough, there will also be a variety of sports celebrities in attendance throughout the weekend, including former and present Montreal Canadiens Andrei Markov, Chris Nilan, Serge Savard, Samuel Montembeault, and Kaiden Guhle.

Former MLB star and sports broadcaster F.P. Santangelo, along with Ellis Valentine will also be on hand.

Fans will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with them, as well as obtain autographs.

“Someone might want to maybe meet someone in the summer that comes to Comic-Con, but the idea of meeting a current Montreal Canadien or an Expo or something like that is super, super cool. So I think the fact that we have those things happening at the same time, it should be a really interesting mix,” said Rockman.

“We’re going to bring in a whole new crowd, and I think the potential for Festival Hobby is huge. And I love the fact that people are so interested. We’re in a town with a legendary sports franchise, so the fact that we can kind of pay tribute to that and have some of the players come meet the fans… I think it’s really, really a cool experience,” he added.

To get into the holiday spirit, Santa Claus will also be in attendance at the Montreal Comiccon Terrace Holiday Edition.

Montreal Comiccon Holiday Edition receives over 20,000 attendees each year. Organizers say they can find great gifts that can’t be found anywhere else.

“The idea of being somewhere where there’s gonna be a bunch of vendors that aren’t necessarily in your local shopping center, it’s the best place to find unique gifts for fans on your list who are fans of pop culture and sports,” said Rockman.

Rockman says the team behind the event makes it a special one.

“There’s a small team that puts these events on, but the fact that so many people show up and are appreciative, I think it just puts the energy into the team that makes them want to continue and branch out and do stuff like Festival Hobby,” he said.

The event is open to all ages; everyone is welcome.

“If you want to come with your family, entrance is free, and what better reason to come try something out,” expressed Rockman.

For more, visit the Festival Hobby or Montreal Comiccon website.