Discovering the Best Gaming Festivals in Canada
If you’re a gaming enthusiast about to visit Canada, you might want to organise your trip around one – or more – of the gaming festivals that happen in this country. Canada is well known as a hub for video game development, of course, but it’s also a prime destination for gaming events.
From massive esports tournaments and LAN parties, to indie game showcases and cosplay competitions, these festivals offer a little something of everything – and for every type of gamer. With this in mind, here are the top 3 most popular gaming festivals still to come this year.
DreamHack Canada
For the last fifteen years, the online gaming scene has been dominated by iGaming, with the online casino industry recently surpassing $100 billion in the global market. In line with this, there are many Canadians present in the iGaming scene. But these players have also grabbed onto another powerhouse that has entered the online spotlight: esports.
Once a niche interest, esports has grown into a global phenomenon, with players even able to bet on games just as they would on an online sportsbook. With events like DreamHack Canada helping to propel the trend and make it more popular than ever, this is a great festival to visit for any competitive gaming lover – whether you’re a player yourself or a fan looking to immerse yourself in a new kind of digital sport.
Fan Expo Canada
While esports certainly catch Canada’s imagination, sometimes, the old ways are best. A festival like Fan Expo, for instance, is one of the largest pop culture conventions in North America, boasting a range of gaming zones that celebrate our favourite console games that have entertained us for the last three decades.
For those unaware, this festival is held every August in Toronto, and that couldn’t be better if you’re a traveller also looking to experience one of Canada’s most beautiful cities. Known for its vibrant arts scene, diverse culture, and stunning waterfront, Toronto offers plenty to explore when the festival is over, making it a great choice if you’re still undecided about where to put the pin on the map!
EGLX
Also in Toronto is the EGLX – Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo – which is a major gaming exhibition with a strong focus on esports and streaming culture. The world of streaming has become far more popular over the last few years, of course, with some of the most popular Twitch streamers garnering millions of views – and if you’ve ever wanted to meet your favourite, there’s a good chance they’re going to be here!
Not only are there meet-and-greets with popular streamers and influencers during the EGLX, but there are also live tournaments, interactive gaming zones, and plenty of showcases from top game publishers. For those interested, there’s been no scheduled date so far this year – this might be a festival for a 2026 Canada vacation – but if you keep your eyes on the official EGLX channels and social media, dates and ticket releases should be posted pretty soon!
