Crowds show up in Kahnawake for Star Wars Day at collectibles expo
It is Star Wars Day, and May the Fourth be with you.
Across the St. Lawrence River from Montreal, Darth Vader, some storm troopers, Luigi and Mario rubbed shoulders with vendors and collectors that the massive K-Town Collectables Expo at the Kahnawake Sports Complex for the annual day celebrating all things Star Wars and all things nerd.
The show has grown from humble origins to become one of the largest toy, card and collectibles shows in Quebec.
"It's fun," said nine-year-old collector Tommy Marquis. "You can look the things that people have and also get to know people too."
Marquis said he likes coming to comic-cons alongside his father Teiowí:sonte Thomas Deer, who has illustrated comics for years including Star Wars, G.I. Joe and Transformers.
For Deer, the appeal of the Kahnawake expo in his Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) community is in its accessibility.
"First of all, it's affordable," said Deer. "If you go to Montreal Comic-con, yeah, it's a great show, but there's so much of an emphasis on guest stars and movie-related items. This kind of goes back to basics, where you have people that are generally interested in comic books and collectibles. It's just so much more accessible that a show like Montreal Comic-con is."
Teiowí:sonte Thomas Deer sells some of his work at the K-Town Collectables Expo in Kahnawake on May 4, 2024. (Daniel J. Rowe, CTV News)
Entry to the two-day show is $5. Organizer Will Rice said 2024 is the biggest show to to date with 108 vendors hawking wares at over 200 tables.
The first show in 2017 had 20 vendors with 40 tables.
"I was shocked at how many people," said Rice. "The smiles, the handshakes, people telling me how great this is for our community."
The K-Town Collectibles Expo in Kahnawake, Que. has grown from humble roots to become one of the biggest toy and collectible expos in Quebec. (Daniel J. Rowe, CTV News)
The show attracts collectors from both sides of the river surrounding the community. Part of the joy for some is meeing like-minded people looking for a light saber, video game or collector card.
"It's a fun day," said vendor Dave Hall. "I just had a 20-minute conversation with someone who's going to have children soon and my kids are a bit older so I kind of gave him a realistic preview of that. Collectors, we all gather and it doesn't always have to be about the collectibles."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Teen was doing homework at family's Mississauga, Ont. restaurant when gunman opened fire: testimony
The 13-year-old sister of a young man killed in the attack on her family’s Mississauga restaurant in 2021 took the stand in a Brampton courthouse on Monday to describe the terrifying moments of coming under fire.
'Repetitive partisan conduct': Conservatives to force vote on ousting Speaker Greg Fergus
The federal Conservatives have advanced a motion that will force MPs to vote on whether to oust Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, after MPs' deputy adjudicator ruled Monday that the Liberal member's allegedly errant partisan event invite required urgent attention.
Trial for B.C. man accused of killing, dismembering wife begins
The trial for a Langley man accused of killing his wife began Monday, with the prosecutor laying out a disturbing series of facts agreed upon by both Crown and defence.
Stars roar back to win Game 3 over Oilers
Jason Robertson's hat-trick goal midway through the third period broke a deadlock and proved to be the eventual winner as the Dallas Stars beat the host Edmonton Oilers 5-3 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final to take a 2-1 series lead.
What a CBSA strike could look like, according to an expert
Slowed or interrupted travel, the passing of goods and significantly restricted borders should be expected if Canadian border workers take upcoming strike action.
WATCH Alta. man rescues wild foal trapped on steep cliffside
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
Severe thunderstorms, tornado watch in some areas of Canada. Here's where
Depending on where you live, you can expect to get a mixed bag of weather this week, as local forecasts predict heavy rain, strong wind, severe thunderstorms and even snowfall across some areas of Canada.
B.C. senior prepares to move due to devastating effects of fraud
A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000.
Israel close to approving Gaza reunification program before Rafah invasion: Miller
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Israel seemed to be on the verge of approving a program to get Palestinian relatives of Canadians out of the Gaza Strip before the country's invasion of the town of Rafah.