FAQ
FAQ:
Where will the 2026 Gluten-Free Expo be held?
Vancouver: The Gluten Free Expo will be held at Canada Place Event Centre in Vancouver on September 19-20, 2026
Edmonton: The Gluten Free Expo will be held at the Convention Centre in Edmonton on September 26, 2026.
CALGARY:The Gluten Free Expo will be held at the WinSport Event Centre in Calgary on March 13th, 2027 (10a-3p).
Offering a wide array of gluten-free products, services, and information for those living a gluten-free lifestyle. Join us to explore the latest trends, sample delicious gluten-free foods, and connect with others in the gluten-free community.
Are children allowed into the GF EXPO?
Yes! Our event is open to all ages - there are no age restrictions, and this is not a 18+ event. Families are welcome to attend, and children under 12 receive free admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
Please note: While children are welcome, this expo is primarily designed for adults and families interested in gluten-free living. The focus is shopping, sampling, learning from expert speakers, and engaging with gluten-free products and brands. There are no dedicated children's activities or entertainment zones at this time.
What are the dates and times for the Gluten-Free Expo 2026?
Vancouver: The Gluten-Free Expo 2026 will take place on September 19-20, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Edmonton: The Gluten-Free Expo 2026 will take place on September 26, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Calgary: The Gluten-Free Expo 2027 will take place on March 13th, 2027 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
What can attendees expect at the Gluten-Free Expo 2026-27?
Discover a diverse range of exhibitors offering gluten-free products, from food and beverages to personal care items. Engage in informative workshops, presentations, and connect with industry experts and fellow gluten-free enthusiasts.
How can I get tickets for the Gluten-Free Expo?
Tickets will be available through our website. Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on ticket releases and event details. Please note that tickets are final sale, and no refunds will be available.
Ticket sales open after exhibitor sales closer to the event date.
What are the sponsorship opportunities available at the Gluten-Free Expo?
Various sponsorship packages offer unique opportunities to showcase your brand and support the gluten-free community. For more information, visit our sponsorship page.
What are the parking options at the Centre?
Convenient parking options are available. Details on parking fees and valet services can be found on our venue information page.
Vancouver:
Parking at Canada Place is available in the underground parkade directly beneath the venue through Parking Indigo Vancouver V374 - Canada Place.
Main Parking Information
- Underground parking located directly at Canada Place
- Entrance typically accessed via Howe Street ramp
- Open 24 hours daily
- EV charging available
- Walking access directly into the venue area
Transit:
Canada Place has some of the best transit access in Vancouver and is extremely easy to reach without driving.
SkyTrain Access
The venue is only a short walk from:
Waterfront Station
Waterfront Station connects to:
Expo Line
Canada Line (direct airport connection)
Millennium Line connections
West Coast Express
SeaBus
Bus Access
Multiple TransLink bus routes stop throughout the downtown waterfront area near:
Cordova Street
Burrard Street
Hastings Street
SeaBus Access
Visitors coming from North Vancouver can take the SeaBus directly to Waterfront Station, located beside Canada Place.
Walking Access
Canada Place is easily walkable from:
Downtown hotels
Vancouver Convention Centre area
Gastown
Coal Harbour
Edmonton:
Main Parking Options
Grierson Hill surface parking lot directly beside the venue
Nearby downtown parkades and surface lots throughout the Jasper Avenue / Churchill area
Metered street parking nearby
Connected downtown parkades within walking distance
Main Convention Centre Lot
One of the closest parking options is:
Parking Indigo Edmonton E505 - ECC East
Additional nearby lots include:
Impark - Canada Place (9777 - 102 Ave) Lot 360
Impark
Diamond Parking
Transit:
The Edmonton Convention Centre has excellent public transit access and is one of the easiest major venues in Edmonton to reach without driving.
LRT Access
The venue is directly connected to:
Churchill LRT Station
Churchill Station serves both:
Capital Line
Metro Line
Valley Line
Visitors can access the Convention Centre through Edmonton’s indoor pedway system connected to the station, which is especially helpful during winter months.
Bus Access
Multiple ETS bus routes stop throughout the downtown core near:
Jasper Avenue
100 Street
Churchill Square
Calgary:
Parking for our event is FREE.
WinSport has several parking lots across the property, so if the main Event Centre lots become full, overflow parking will be available nearby throughout the campus.
Main Parking Areas
- Event Centre parking lots directly outside the building
- Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame parking lot
- Players parking lot
- Warehouse parking lot
- West Overflow parking lot
The largest overflow area is the West Overflow Parking Lot, located on the west side of the WinSport property near the Markin MacPhail Centre and ski hill area.
Transit: Transit access is available via Calgary Transit Route 108 from Brentwood CTrain Station directly to WinSport / Canada Olympic Park. Please plan your trip in advance using the Calgary Transit trip planner.
FAQ: Can I buy tickets at the door with cash or debit?
Calgary & Edmonton: No, tickets will be sold in limited quantities in time slots online to ensure a pleasant experience within the hall without over crowding. Tickets must be purchased in advance, if your preferred time slot is sold out, please select another time slot. Sampling and speakers will be continuous all day.
Vancouver: Yes, we accept both cash and debit at the door.
However, buying your tickets online is strongly recommended as it’s faster and more efficient.
To help manage the flow on busy show days:
We have 3 ticket scanners equipped for cash payments and 1 for debit, based on demand we saw in Calgary in April 2025.
If too many guests need to pay at the door, a separate payment desk may be opened, which could lead to longer wait times — as those who pay will still need to rejoin the main queue for fairness to other guests.
Can I volunteer at the Gluten-Free Expo?
es, we welcome volunteers. For more information on volunteer opportunities and to apply, please visit our volunteer information page.
How are you managing crowds at the 2026/2027 Expo?
We heard your feedback from 2025—especially regarding crowded aisles—and worked closely with experienced trade show and event professionals to improve the overall guest experience for 2026.
While widening aisles may seem like the obvious solution, industry experience shows that with strong attendance, crowds naturally gather around popular booths, sampling stations, and feature areas regardless of aisle width. For our second year, we instead focused on controlling the number of attendees inside the hall at any given time.
Entry was managed in waves throughout the day to help create a more even distribution of guests and allow space to naturally open up as attendees exited. This approach significantly improved overall comfort and movement within the venue while still maintaining strong attendance numbers. However, 2026 also gave us valuable real-world data and insight into attendee behaviour, including how long guests typically stay, how quickly lines move at different times of day, and where peak congestion naturally occurs.
One of the biggest unknowns during our second year was accurately predicting entry timing and overall guest flow. While the staggered-entry system worked well overall, we understand that some attendees still experienced heavier lineups during peak arrival periods. Using what we learned from 2026, we are now making even more refined improvements for the 2027 Calgary and Edmonton Gluten Free EXPOs.
For 2027, ticket quantities will be even more carefully controlled by entry period to help create a smoother and more enjoyable experience from the moment guests arrive. Additional staffing, improved check-in flow, expanded speaker scheduling, and more balanced attendee distribution throughout the day will all help reduce congestion and improve movement within the venue.
Tickets must be purchased in advance, and once a specific time slot is sold out, guests will need to select another available entry window. No additional tickets will be sold at the door once time slots have reached capacity.
While arrival times are staggered, attendees are welcome to stay and enjoy the show for as long as they would like after entering.
Ticket Time Slots
- 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Entry — $15
- 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Entry — $7
- 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Entry — $5
- 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Entry — $5
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Entry — $5
Continuous sampling will be available throughout the entire day, helping exhibitors distribute products more evenly rather than facing overwhelming rushes all at once. This creates a better experience for both attendees and brands while increasing the likelihood that products remain available later into the afternoon.
Speaker presentations will also take place throughout the day in dedicated breakout and board rooms. Because of the upgraded facilities, many speakers will now be able to present multiple times daily, giving attendees additional opportunities to attend sessions they may have missed earlier in the day.
Our focus moving forward is not simply increasing attendance, but creating a more comfortable, organized, and enjoyable experience where guests can explore vendors, enjoy samples, attend educational sessions, and spend quality time at the event without feeling overcrowded or rushed.
Now, you might think: “Why don’t you just make the aisles wider?” However, even with significantly wider aisles, the hall would still become crowded during peak periods. In 2026 alone, approximately 1,400 attendees were already lined up before doors opened at 10:00 AM. Even in a larger layout with expanded aisle space, having that many guests enter simultaneously would still result in a very busy and congested hall environment. That is why managing attendee flow and controlling entry volumes throughout the day is ultimately the most effective way to improve the overall guest experience.