Fan Expo San Francisco returned Thanksgiving weekend 2025, once again taking over the Moscone Center and bringing together fans from across Northern California and beyond for three full days of pop culture celebration. As someone who has attended this convention multiple times over the years, Fan Expo SF continues to stand out as one of the more consistently well-run conventions on the West Coast, even when it’s navigating familiar challenges.
From celebrity guests and panels to vendors and fan experiences, the 2025 edition delivered a polished, organized event with noticeable improvements in layout and crowd flow. However, the longstanding issue of its Thanksgiving weekend scheduling remains a point of contention for both fans and talent — and it’s one that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.
Overall Experience and Organization
One thing Fan Expo San Francisco continues to get right is the overall execution of the event. Year after year, the convention staff stands out for being friendly, helpful, and genuinely approachable. Whether it’s staff directing foot traffic, assisting with lines, or answering questions, the professionalism on display makes a noticeable difference in how smoothly the weekend runs.
That said, 2025 did have one significant hiccup early on. Attendee pickup lines were unusually long due to errors with tickets that had been mailed out ahead of the convention. This caused bottlenecks at badge pickup, particularly on the first day. While frustrating for fans eager to get onto the show floor, staff handled the situation as efficiently as possible, and the issue seemed to ease as the weekend progressed.
Once inside, the convention itself flowed well. Fan Expo SF utilized all three levels of the Moscone Center, and the layout felt intuitive and easy to navigate. Even during peak hours, the space never felt overwhelmingly congested, which is something not every major convention can claim.
Celebrity Guests and Lineup Highlights
Fan Expo San Francisco 2025 featured a strong and diverse celebrity lineup spanning television, film, and fandom favorites. While there were fewer last-minute cancellations compared to the previous year, one major absence frustrated fans: the originally announced Supernatural stars, including Jared Padalecki, ultimately did not appear. Given the size and dedication of the Supernatural fandom, this was a disappointment that many fans felt deeply.
However, the convention made up for it in other ways. One of the most welcome additions to the lineup was Gillian Anderson, whose presence thrilled The X-Files fandom. Her inclusion added significant star power and drew long but manageable lines throughout the weekend. For longtime fans of the series, her appearance alone justified attending. They also had several The Boys actors including Karl Urban.
One of the biggest improvements in 2025 was how the celebrity autograph and photo-op area was organized. This was, without question, the best-organized celebrity section Fan Expo SF has had in years. Celebrities were grouped by fandom, allowing fans to move from one line to the next without needing to crisscross the venue. This simple but thoughtful change drastically improved the experience, reduced confusion, and made celebrity interactions feel far less stressful than in previous years.
Panels and Programming
Panels were held across multiple rooms throughout the weekend, covering a wide range of topics and fandoms. From actor Q&As to industry discussions, the programming schedule offered something for nearly everyone.
Interestingly, none of the panels appeared to max out on attendance. While that might sound concerning on paper, in practice it created a more relaxed panel experience. Fans could enter and exit without issue, seating was generally available, and there was none of the frantic rushing or line camping that often accompanies major convention panels.
This may reflect the Thanksgiving weekend timing, which naturally limits attendance for some fans, but it also made panels far more enjoyable for those who did attend. The atmosphere felt conversational rather than overcrowded, and it allowed for better audience engagement overall.
Attendance and Crowd Flow
Fan Expo San Francisco 2025 felt busy but not overwhelming. Attendance was solid across all three days, but never reached the point where navigating the floor became frustrating or exhausting. Compared to larger conventions like San Diego Comic-Con, Fan Expo SF maintains a more manageable scale that many fans actually prefer.
Crowd flow, particularly on the show floor and in the celebrity areas, was noticeably improved thanks to better layout planning. Even during peak afternoon hours, movement between levels and sections was relatively smooth.
Vendor Hall: A Mixed Bag
One of the more divisive aspects of Fan Expo San Francisco 2025 was the vendor setup. This year, vendors were split into two separate sections — one on the first level and another on the second level. While this helped spread out foot traffic, it also highlighted a recurring issue: repetition.
Many vendor tables sold very similar items, with little variation from booth to booth. While there’s nothing wrong with popular merchandise categories, it reached a point where browsing felt redundant. Unfortunately, nothing truly stood out as a “must-buy,” and there were few tables that sparked genuine excitement or curiosity.
For longtime convention attendees, this can be one of the more disappointing elements of Fan Expo SF. While the show excels in organization and guest management, the vendor floor still feels like an area with untapped potential.
Can Fan Expo SF Be Done in One Day?
Despite being a three-day convention, Fan Expo San Francisco can realistically be experienced in a single day — provided that the celebrities you want to see are scheduled for that day. The manageable size, lack of overwhelming panel crowds, and efficient layout make it possible to see a lot without feeling rushed.
For fans traveling from nearby areas or those juggling holiday obligations, this flexibility is a major plus. You don’t need to commit to all three days to feel like you got your money’s worth.
The Thanksgiving Weekend Problem
The biggest and most persistent issue with Fan Expo San Francisco has nothing to do with organization, guests, or programming — it’s the timing.
As has been discussed multiple times in previous The Game of Nerds reviews, holding a major convention over Thanksgiving weekend, typically starting on Black Friday, creates challenges for everyone involved. Fans are balancing family obligations, travel, and holiday expenses, while talent faces similar scheduling conflicts.
Despite these concerns, Fan Expo SF is once again scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend in 2026. While the convention itself runs smoothly, this timing continues to limit its full potential. A shift to a non-holiday weekend could significantly boost attendance, vendor variety, and overall energy.
Final Thoughts
Fan Expo San Francisco 2025 delivered a well-organized, enjoyable convention experience with clear improvements in celebrity management and layout. While vendor repetition and the Thanksgiving weekend schedule remain ongoing issues, the strengths of the event continue to outweigh its flaws.
Friendly staff, thoughtful layout changes, solid guest programming, and a relaxed panel atmosphere make Fan Expo SF one of the more approachable and pleasant conventions on the calendar. With a few adjustments — particularly around timing and vendor diversity — it has the potential to become an even stronger staple of the convention circuit.
For fans willing to navigate the holiday timing, Fan Expo San Francisco remains a reliable, well-run event that respects its attendees and delivers a consistently positive experience year after year.
