The Lethbridge Entertainment Expo will be bigger and better this year at Exhibition Park, Nov. 22-23.
 There will be plenty to do for pop culture aficionados of all stripes from playing video games, role-playing games,  cosplay to meeting movie stars and actors.
“We’re sold out of vendor space already,” said organizer Matthew Odland adding he learned a lot from last year's event.

“We’re adding a gaming area where people can go to play video games, role-playing games and board games while waiting for panels,” he said adding panels will take place in the same area as the vendors rather than in a separate room like last year.

“ Last year people didn’t know where the panels and special guests were,” he said.
Some of the special guests include English actress and model Esme Bianco, best known for playing Ros in the popular TV series “Game of Thrones.”
“Her character wasn’t even in the book but the producers liked her so much that they basically created the role for her,” Odland said.
They also feature famed voice actor Billy West who voiced several characters in Futurama and Ren and Stimpy.
“ He’s also the voice of the red M and M in their commercials,” Odland continued.

Another highlight will be Garrett Richard Wang, who played Ensign Harry Kim on Star Trek: Voyager.
From the comic book world, Calgary artist Steve Gervais as  are siblings Nathan and Erin Millar who created the graphic novel “Where She Walks.”
 And Lethbridge's own “Slaughterhouse Slough” creator Eric Dyck will also be on hand.

 Alexander Finbow of Canmore based Renegade Arts Entertainment was so impressed with his experience at last year’s expo, that he decided to return with a bigger presence this year.
Renegade Arts Entertainment releases many historically  themed graphic novels as well as the world's biggest and best classic horror audiobook library, Doug Bradley's Spinechiller.

Finbow will be accompanied by Raymond based artist Claude St. Aubin who has worked on  comics for Marvel and DC including Aquaman and the Green Lantern and  Edmonton based writer and cartoonist Jeff Martin who is behind  a couple of Renegade’s cornerstone projects.

“We were part of the first Expo last year. I came by myself just to help out. But what impressed me was how enthusiastic everyone was,” said Finbow.
“I’m used to bigger shows like Calgary and Toronto and the number of people who go to them can be overwhelming,” he said.
“But in Lethbridge, there weren’t as many people, but all of them were just so enthusiastic,” emphasized Finbow who got his start writing and directing for movies and moved to Canada five years ago where he got inspired by Canadian history.

“When I emigrated to Canada from England five years ago, I started learning Canadian history and immediately fell in love with it. I couldn’t believe there weren‘t already comic books about Canadian history,” he said noting he started looking for graphic novels based on Canadian history, which lead him to the recent release of Jeff Martin’s new book “Redcoastsish.”

“It is about two men during the War of 1812 who join the militia and help burn the White House down. They like to eat, but they don’t like to march or fight. It’s very funny,” he said.
“ You get lost in a fantastic story and accidentally learn about history,” he said.

“ If Americans had done the something similar, they’d probably have a national holiday. Canadians are too humble,” he said.
When deciding on what projects to publish, he looks for a good story as well as a little humour.

They have released nine books and are already planning ahead for three years from now.
“The cycle of a book to research to writing and artwork is about  three to five years. So probably the earliest new project would be released would be in 2017, ” he observed adding there are exceptions.
“We have a new book coming out in November called ‘Robbie Burns: Witch Hunter. ’ Robbie Burns was known as a drinker and a womanizer. So the authors (Gordon Rennie and Emma Beeby) asked the question what if one event turned Robbie Burns from man about town to poet of renown. What if his poem ‘Tam’ O’ Shanter’ was a story that actually happened to him,” he said.

This weekend, CASA opens two excellent new exhibits  featuring new works from popular local artists Len Komenac and Leila Armstrong.
“Dr. StrangeLen’s Pop Tarts and Burning Toasters” features a variety of  Komanac's  pop art inspired works  which may be familiar to those who frequent the Owl Acoustic Lounge which frequently features Komanac's works.

“He looks at popular culture, art history and consumer culture which allows the listener to knead some deeper issues,” described curator Darcy Logan.

 The west wall of Komanac’s room is dominated by sculpted television dinners.
“It’s just a really fun concept, but I look at it as exploring food consumption and how art explores our food needs,” he continued.
Another wall features new works inspired by  comic strips.

“They are a reference to romance comics,” Logan continued. While another wall features works inspired by ’60s pop artist  Andy Warhol, who is best know for works exploring  works  featuring Campbell’s Soup Cans.

“He’s riffing on Andy Warhol’s soup cans, except Len’s works are based on very contemporary no name brands,” he added.
 Dead centre in the middle of the room are several giant sculpted Lego blocks.

“Everybody will be able to appreciate these from families, to children, to fans of pop art,” he  said adding Komanac has also had exhibits at the Bowman Art Gallery as well as has taken part in group exhibits from Trapdoor and the Potemkin Collectives.

 Leila Armstrong has also exhibited at the Bowman as well as in various group exhibitions.

Lethbridge celebrates the arts , Sept. 21-27 with the fifth annual Arts Days happening all over the city, primarily downtown and mostly at CASA.

“It just keeps grows bigger every year,” said Ashley Markus, Allied Arts Council communications coordinator.
“ We’re incorporating more different artistic mediums. it’s more than just visual artists. There is art, theatre and music.

“ We want to include all artistic people even those who aren’t familiar with art,” she said.
 ArtsDays begins with Word On the Street on Sunday, Sept. 21 outside the Lethbridge Public Library.

 It will feature live entertainment and lots of authors including Diana Davidson, young adult fantasy author Erin Bow, teen author Carrie Mac,  gardening guru Lyndon Penner, poet Derek Beaulieu , cook book author Julia Van Rosendaal and local musician/ author/ artist Herb Hicks plus many more.
“ A lot of the activities are happening over at CASA,” Markus observed.

The cornerstone event is the eleventh annual Artwalk which pairs artists with local businesses downtown. It takes place Sept. 26 and Sept. 27.
“This year Artwalk has 40 different stops,  all mostly downtown,” she continued.
 Chinook High school students will be creating chalk art on the sidewalks as well.
 There will also be an artisans market featuring 20 different artists and organizations ranging from photographers to painters and handicrafts artisans who create glassware, pottery and carvings at CASA Sept. 27 and 28.

There is also a film component this year with Prairie Tales 16 on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. in the CASA community room. And outside on the screen outside of CASA The Silent Treatment: A Festival of Shorts.
 Erin Watson is directing a piece at the U of L Penny building, Sept. 25-28 which looks at the transformative nature of theatre through voice, movement and mask.

 There will even be performance artists featuring M:ST all over downtown.
“ They will be doing a bunch of different performances,” she said.
Of course there will be buskers and street performers throughout downtown as well.
 The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra kicks off their season with their first  Chamber Music series of the season with Musaeus and mezzo soprano Sandra Stringer. That happens at the CASA community room on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

In conjunction with Arts Days, new exhibitions run at CASA,  the Southern Alberta Art Gallery and the Trianon.
 The Southern Alberta Art Gallery officially opens “ The Summit Meeting,”  a new exhibit from Montreal born artist  Raphaëlle de Groot  with the opening reception on Sept. 27 at 8 p.m.