The name has that power, that promise of a grandiose show, the likes of which would amaze and enthrall any sneakerhead from any walk of life. Sneaker Con. Toronto. For the first time, the greatest sneaker show on earth was making its way across the border. A long time mantle holder in the U.S. for the best sneaker event presenters, our first sign of hope to one day host them in Tim Hortons Land was their latest, ultra successful trips to London, Melbourne, and Hong Kong. When word was officially announced that Sneaker Con was coming, the questions and endless possibilities  started to swirl about in our collective minds. What are we going to see? Who are they bringing with them? Will I be able to handle the magnitude of such a renown show? My god, we were excited! the cherry on top came in the form of an email asking if we had intentions to attend and whether we’d like to spend a few minutes with one of the founders. What an opportunity!… Like, c’mon! We rounded up the boys, got our equipment set for the “work trip”, and then decided to make it a 24hr/in-and-out mission! Excitement and adrenaline would fuel us to the show!

Once we got to the convention center, we happen to spot Wendy taking care of the line outside the door. Two hours ahead of the noon time opening, and the crowd was already raring to go. Once we entered the convention hall, we could start to understand the significance of Sneaker Con. Pre-opening, it’s basically a large room with some tables lined up, with vendors tending to their merchandise. The amount of free space that they anticipated filling was incredible. We waited our turn to speak with Yu-Ming Wu, one of the founders of Sneaker Con. Let’s give everyone a moment to google this man’s accomplishments and influences in the sneaker world… I know. He’s a beast. With such an impressive resume, the man is extremely genuine, down to earth, and gracious to have spent several minutes hanging with us on such a busy day. He spoke about how it made sense for Sneaker Con to come to Toronto, being only an hour and a half flight away from the Mecca. He mentioned the incredible staff that works tirelessly to make sure everything runs smoothly during the setup and the actual event. He explained how the inclusion of Shoe-Tubers allows them a whole new audience and an opportunity to keep the brand growing, and how tickets sales doubled the last day before the show opened! It was a bit surreal to be able to sit down with the man, for the audio clip, you can tune into our sister crew’s The Sneaker Podcast episode.

By the time the doors opened, the lineup outside, resemble more of a crowd than anything linear in form. when the thousands of people flowed into the show, the event came alive. New lineups formed to meet the celebrity Shoe-Tubers, Qias Omar, OhItsTeddy, Jaysse Lopez, Yeezy Busta, to name a few. The people gathered around the stages set up for Sneaker Conversations and Trading Pit. Those seeking expertise and wisdom also found their answers with the reassuring Sneaker Con Authenticated booth. Sneaker Con allowed the Toronto Sneakerhead community a place to hang out, buy-sell-trade, and further their knowledge about sneaker culture.

The amount of free space was quickly washed over by waves and waves of heat sneakers and curated classics. At last word, Sneaker Con Toronto was a record-breaking event with the most attendees of all the international sites. Be on the lookout for Sneaker Con’s next dates and show locations, and take a look at our even recap in photos below.