The inaugural edition of AVA Expo took place in 2007. The convention was originally named Anifest Victory and dedicated to the Japanese culture. In the first year of its existence, it managed to become one of the largest events for anime and manga fans in Saint Petersburg. The convention focused on the development of Russia’s cosplay movement.
In 2009, the program of the convention expanded to include Asian music, films, television shows and video games. The event was rebranded to reflect this change and given a new name, AnyV. After that, the convention continued to grow.
In 2012, it featured a large exhibition area for the first time, so the organizers renamed it to AVA Expo. Since 2013, AVA Expo has been held at one of Saint Petersburg’s largest exhibition centers, Lenexpo. The convention lasts for two days and attracts more then 6,000 attendees every year.
AVA Expo features several dozen stalls and booths that present various fandoms (including films, television shows, video games, comics, anime, books, etc.) and media companies. The convention gathers the fans of various pop culture genres, from fantasy and science fiction to mystery and cyberpunk, and everyone finds something interesting here.
Alongside fandom presentations, the program of AVA Expo features entertainment areas, merchandise shops, stage performances, games and competitions, video game tournaments and cosplay contests, lectures and workshops, panels with well-known authors and book signings, and more. This diversity aims to help the convention achieve its main goal, which is to develop pop culture in Russia and give its participants an opportunity for creative expression.
Photo: avaexpo.ru
