Maroc - 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - 06/Nov 00:01

FACTS 2024 (Fall)

Time sure flies, as it feels like we were only in Ghent yesterday for the 2024 edition of FACTS. This edition was back in April, however, when we were still looking forward to the hot summer weather. Now, with the dreary winter weather ahead of us, we were excited to go to the Fall edition of FACTS 2024. Last weekend, Ghent was under the spell of many cosplayers and sci-fi enthusiasts who made their way to Flanders Expo. We were one of them, and we were curious to see what the event had to offer this time around. It would be unfair to state that we felt like we never left because things felt immediately familiar and similar to previous editions. The decors etc have received a visual update, and things looked quite cozy for a Fall edition, meaning quite a few things have changed. Aside from the new impressive-looking backdrops, we were greeted by a variety of stalls with a lot of interesting merchandise for sale. Once again, there was a plethora of items to choose from, ranging from the always-present Pokémon cards, figurines, Funko POP! collectibles, mangas, posters, and much more. We did feel like the balance was somewhat restored in terms of different items on offer, especially when comparing it to previous editions. There was a bit more variety, and while there were still many retailers selling Pokémon cards, there were a lot of other intriguing collectibles as well. Next to the regular merchandise, there were many homemade items as well. Most of these were found in a separate hall that highlighted the talents of quite a few artists. As always, the main hall was the main area where you could purchase merchandise and other collectibles. Other halls revolved around the convention’s special guests, board games, different fandoms, and other fun activities, such as the Halloween maze. Most of the events were clearly marked, and it was a lot of fun exploring the different options of the venue. Famous brands were also present at several locations around the convention, allowing you to try out recent games or see different competitive gamers in action. If you were there just for the cosplay, you were able to see a lot of interesting costumes, as well as dedicated cosplay events. The event is still family-oriented as well, so there were visitors of all ages and there was something to see or do for everyone. As usual, we did notice a lot of strollers blocking the walkways, which was a bit of a shame. The pathways were wide enough, but congestion points were created due to irregularly shaped decorations or booths. During the busiest moments of the day, some paths were blocked, especially due to people randomly starting conversations at crossroads. Making sure the pathways are all neatly in rows could easily avoid these chokepoints. Nonetheless, we never felt overwhelmed or stuck, which is certainly a huge plus for conventions such as these. The food hall was neatly organized and there was a proper seating area. Of course, visiting the food hall during the busiest times meant there would not be sufficient seating. Tables were often sadly full of trash from other conventiongoers, and we didn’t see that many crew members actually running around to keep things clean. This is not uncommon for these types of events, but it would be extremely pleasant if some more staff members could be assigned to keep things clean. Outside of the food hall, there were also a few food stalls scattered around the convention. The offering was quite nice, and when trying to eat after rush hour, the waiting times weren’t too bad. In terms of special guests, FACTS did not disappoint. The dedicated hall for the celebrities and other guests was spacious, and it allowed people to properly queue without bothering other conventiongoers. The few times we passed to check out the guests, we noticed a lot of the celebrity guests were not at their signing tables. This could of course be due to breaks and/or photoshoots. Conclusion All in all, the Fall edition of FACTS 2024 was rather successful. While we still would love to have less oddly shaped booths creating chokepoints in the main hall, the merchandise on offer was quite nice, we did like the celebrity guests, and the overall experience was quite pleasant. As a whole, FACTS is always a good time, but we do wish that the food hall would get a bit more upkeep, allowing more people to eat their food at clean tables. Other than this minor blip in an otherwise spotless experience, we are looking forward to the next edition.