Calgary Telus Convention Centre
& Marriott Downtown Hotel
Otafest is Calgary’s volunteer-run, non-profit, all-ages Japanese anime and pop culture festival featuring anime screenings, an exhibitor hall, community panels, cosplay contests, voice actors, concerts, and so much more!
Admissions
8:00 – 19:00
Festival Hours
10:00 – 24:00
Exhibitor Hall
10:00 – 19:00
Admissions
8:00 – 19:00
Festival Hours
10:00 – 24:00
Exhibitor Hall
10:00 – 19:00
Admissions
8:00 – 19:00
Festival Hours
10:00 – 20:00
Exhibitor Hall
10:00 – 17:00
Each of our special guests adds their own unique flavor to the festival ♥
We add more guests throughout the year so check back often and keep an eye on our social media for updates.
Here’s a taste of what’s in store.
Join our musical guests for an unforgettable night of dancing and making new friends! Our concert and dance party features a lineup of musical guests from various genres that’s sure to get you moving.
Plus, it’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded folks who share your passion for music and culture. Make some friends and dance the night away.
Reserve your seat at the Maid and Butler Café and let our charming staff take care of you. Experience the unique and captivating entertainment, indulge in delicious treats, participate in exciting games, and enjoy an enchanting dance performance – all in one place. And at the end of the event, commemorate your time with us by taking home an exclusive souvenir and a photo of you with our lovely maids and butlers in exchange for a donation to this year’s charity.
The café requires a separately purchased ticket.
Looking for an unforgettable outdoor concert experience? Grab your penlights and make some noise, the Idol Festival is back!
Featuring a variety of idol cover groups, this outdoor musical event promises to be a highlight of the festival. Watch these talented performers dance their hearts out, and join the crowd as we make Ota-History! With a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere, you’re sure to have a blast.
Outdoor events are on a weather-permitting basis.
Are you a fan of incredible vocal performances? Do you love watching talented singers compete for glory and recognition? The Ota Factor is where the community’s best vocalists come together to showcase their skills and compete for top honors! This exciting event is the perfect opportunity to enjoy amazing live music and support local performers who are ready to give their best performance and sing their hearts out.
Our venue and the areas surrounding it make for some great backdrops for your cosplay photos! From the rooftop patio to our balloon installations, there are plenty of unique photo opportunities for you to capture and share with your friends and fellow fans.
The various types of architecture around the venue offer a diverse range of locations for you to take unforgettable photos. These locations and backdrops are a fantastic way to showcase your cosplay and capture the memories of your festival experience.
Our Exhibitor Hall brings local stores, industry, and travelling vendors into one convenient location for you to find official figures, manga, plushies, art, games, media, and posters. Artist Alley is populated by painters, illustrators, cosplay designers, and more, all ranging from hobbyists to professionals! Some artists may also take commission requests for custom pieces.
This is also where you’ll find our guests during their autograph time slots, and some of our generous, lovely sponsors!
Have you ever wanted to know how you would look as a cat? a ninja? a ninja cat? Do you wonder what you and your bestie would look like as anime characters or fantasize about finally getting a picture of your D&D character to show off at the next session? Sketch Drive, one of Otafest’s longest-running traditions (and best kept secrets) is where these ideas come to life!
Choose your favorite style from our team of talented artists and get your dream portrait sketched for a good cause. Half the cost of the sketch will go directly to the artist, with the rest going to Otafest’s chosen charity so you’re supporting a local artist and giving back to the community with a single purchase!
Otafest’s Community Corner is a space that provides a platform for conventions, non-profits, and groups to showcase and share their passion projects and works with the wider community. As a collaborative and inclusive space, this is where you can discover something new, exciting, and local. By supporting and promoting the work of our community, we can build a stronger, more connected, and vibrant society.
Cosplayers deserve to feel comfortable and confident. Our Cosplay Repair Station is stocked with everything you need to fix unexpected malfunctions, so you don’t have to worry about your outfit falling apart.
Relax in our cosplay lounge and photography area. It’s the perfect spot to unwind and houses our Cosplay HQ, where you can ask questions about a our contests for cosplayers of all skill levels.
The Otafest Arcade hosts different gaming events and spaces throughout the festival. In the main gaming hall, you will find our competitive gaming tournaments and drop-in events, our Open Arcade featuring casual gaming, the Community Lounge where you can chat with local streaming community members, and our Mobile Corner where you can play the latest mobile and digital card games!
We look forward to seeing you this year at Otafest Arcade. Let’s play!
For the last decade, the Otafest Pokémon League has provided a safe space for Pokémon fans to play against other fans and challenge the League for real-life badges and a chance at being crowned a Champion. We offer all sorts of Pokémon related activities and games for all ages with a variety of prizes!
Not only that, but Pokémon-related panels, mini games, events, a great community to join, and more also await you at the League!
Are you a fan of giant robots? Do you like to build model kits? Then come on down to the Otafest Gunpla Hangar in the Acadia Room of the Marriott. Feel free to come in and build an experience kit, a kit you picked up on the show floor, take in the gunpla and Gundam related panels, or just hang out and chat with fellow Gunpla builders and Gundam fans.
If you want to show off your stuff, enter the Gunpla Hangar Showcase contest! With various categories and prizes, you can compete at the level of your choice.
Need a break from all the hustle & bustle of the festival? Maybe you just want to find a place to curl up with a good book? Well you’re in luck. The Otafest Manga library is a comfy place for you to relax in a quiet space and pick up a book from our collection of manga and light novels.
Our collection is comprised of books generously donated by publisher sponsors, Otafest staff & volunteers, and members of our wonderful community.
Our community hosted panels are great socialization events that pair you with knowledgeable hosts, place you as a contestant in game shows, or have you laughing a fit while interacting with your fellow attendees. We have a such variety of content that you’ll always have something to do!
Moreover, it’s an eye-opening experience to see how others do it! Just by attending, you can help nurture real practical skills in presentation, communication, and a hands-on approach to learning from the hosts! It might even spur inspiration for you to host a panel for next year!
Whether you enjoy music videos playing all day, or take a break from the rush of the festival, all are welcome to enjoy the unique entertainment offered in our AMV room.
Fancy yourself an AMV Connoisseur? Pick up a ballot and take your seat in the AMV contest! Your opinion matters here as everyone votes on their favorite AMV from a full spectrum of entertaining edits from talented editors from all over.
All weekend long!
An anime festival obviously needs anime! We have a wide range of anime series, screened throughout the weekend. Our showings provide a great opportunity for fans to connect with each other over their shared love of anime, and to discover new series that they may have missed.
If your tastes are a bit more chaotic, find the WTF showing block on the schedule. It’s weird, it’s 18+, there’s a bar. Need we say more?
Whether you’re a seasoned anime fan or just starting to explore the plethora of choices, our anime showings have something for everyone.
In every challenging, inspirational, or cherished moment that anime has shown, there’s a person behind that character who made it possible.
Otafest strives to bring the voices behind these priceless moments straight to you. Not only that, we also bring guests involved in cosplay, speakers on diversity and inclusion, industry professionals, musical artists, live performers, virtual performers, and design experts to entertain, educate, and just hang out!
Meet them, greet them, exchange a story, and grab a precious autograph or picture to take home as a memorabilia that will remain with you for a long time!
This is the perfect opportunity to bid on items donated by the community, Otafest’s sponsors, and a variety of other sources. We’ll even have some auction-exclusive official Otafest paraphernalia. Whether you’re a serious collector or just looking for a fun souvenir, the charity auction is where you can find some truly unique lots.
Otafest is proud to support a local charity each year. Your auction bids directly help support their important work. With all auction proceeds donated directly to our charity partner, you can bid with confidence knowing that you’re making a positive impact in the community. Come out, bid on some incredible items, and help us support this fantastic cause!
Japanese CONvenience store (コンビニ, “konbini”) meets CONvention! The doors are open and the fresh scent of melonpan is in the air! It’s your one-stop shop for specialty Japanese snacks, baked goods and drinks.
They say that happiness begins with a smile; at the Otafest CONbini, we offer great service, warm greetings, and good food which is a hug for your soul.
Limited quantities only so visit the Otafest CONbini early to recharge!
How It’s Made is an event that brings the community together by sharing our knowledge and experiences in cosplay and related crafts. The event is set up just like a science fair: presenters display cosplay pieces or equipment that they have made or used, educating visitors about the processes involved. It’s all about building up the cosplay community in Calgary!
… and a whole lot more!
Otafest is happy to provide a special attendee rate at the Marriott. Once the details are finalized, a link will appear here!
We need your help. Otafest relies on the creative contributions of the community to make each festival one to remember. Whether you’re a cosplayer, an artist, wanting to host a panel, or willing to lend a hand, we offer various opportunities to involve yourself in the festival beyond simply attending!
Otafest would be impossible without the help of our wonderful volunteers. We offer a wide range of positions across all departments, food, and scheduling that accommodates you as best as possible.
Our volunteers also usually leave with some newly formed friendships! Join the Otafam and we’ll do our best to keep you smiling throughout the whole weekend.
The best way to embrace your passion is to share it. Most of Otafest’s programming is provided by community members like you who have creative ideas to present to their peers.
Whether you’re looking to host a presentation, workshop, tutorial, game show, forum, or anything else, we’ll be your platform.
With admission discounts available for successful candidates, we’d love to see your creativity in action!
Otafest is home to a healthy variety of contests!
Whether you want to compete vocally, showcase your AMV skills, or take part in one of our many varieties of cosplay events, one of our events is sure to suit you!
Are you are an artist or hobbyist looking for an outlet to sell your fan-made work? Maybe you’re an established business wanting to expand your customer base. Whatever the case may be, our Exhibitor Hall brings thousands of patrons right to you for easy and effective exposure to your products.
Also, if you’re an emerging or experienced artist and want to join our mission to give back to the community, Sketch Drive offers a unique opportunity to hone your talents for a good cause.
Otafest hosts a live charity auction each year and we’re always looking for items to sell. We’re always looking for donated items to build up our sale inventory. Proceeds go directly to charity, so you can clear out your closet and storage while supporting a great cause.
If you’ve got some extra manga laying around, consider donating to our manga library! An open, calm space at Otafest where you can sit down with a good novel and take a break from the hustle and bustle.
Each year, Otafest selects a local charitable cause to support. Please help us reach our $10,000 goal to support the local community and remember to attend closing ceremonies for our traditional fun (and often embarrassing) games for our planning team!
You can help by participating in Otafest’s Charity Auction, Angel Passes, Sketch Drive, Cards Against Otafest, and more!
We would like to thank all of our sponsors for their generous contributions to our event ♥
Otafest
May 10 – 12, 2024
Calgary Telus Convention Centre
120 9 Ave SE
Calgary, AB T2G 0P3