WHAT IS THE FACTS HOMEWORLD EDITION?
Due to the corona crisis, FACTS was forced to undergo all sorts of changes. Difficulties with international flights, more health and safety measures than ever before and many other concerns made it impossible to organise FACTS in the way you’re used to. However, together with national and local authorities and health experts, we have found a solution that will allow us to organise a special edition of FACTS.
The FACTS Mothership remains anchored on its home planet, focusing on actors, artists, experts and other home-grown talents. They will be giving shows, Q&A and performances on four big stages throughout FACTS. These ‘inspirational sessions’ will of course be complemented by various fun and free activities and a big Geek Market in the center.
That means that we have to cancel or postpone the international actor and artist line-up of FACTS Spring/Fall. But we are also excited to welcome new and unexpected local talents!
Join us for the FACTS Homeworld Edition, an intergalactic staycation on October 24-25, in Flanders Expo Ghent!
CORONA HEALTH & SAFETY MEASURES
The FACTS Mothership has the health of its passengers as the highest priority this year, so the crew is cooking up a strong decontamination protocol. Undressing and disinfecting with a fire hose won’t be necessary, but FACTS does have a lot of other measures to keep Facehuggers, Venom symbiotes and viruses at bay.
We advise you to take a close look at the page behind this button, so that everyone is aware of the measures and many changes.
FAQ
To be updated further as questions come in.
If you have a question that didn’t get answered below, send an e-mail to info@facts.be.
GENERAL
The Mothership has remained anchored for a good while now, but we are slowly drifting away from the dark side of the moon, towards the glorious sunlight that is looming on the horizon. After decades of roaming in remote universes, it is time to rediscover what the homeworld has to offer. Our scouts were not on shore leave, but instead have been hard at work gathering intel on national actors, artists, experts and other talents, who are willing to do ‘inspirational sessions’ and Q&A on one of the four stages. These shows will of course be complemented by various fun and free activities and a big Geek Market in the center.
Your visit to the FACTS Mothership will be powered up with the latest technologies and protocols that can help ensure a safe trip. We realise that our homeworld is experiencing some difficult and dire times, but with the necessary extras, precautions and adapted schedules, we should be able to once again reunite to celebrate our common passions.
Join us for the FACTS Homeworld Edition, an intergalactic staycation on October 24-25, in Flanders Expo Ghent!
For each time slot, only 5.000 people are allowed at FACTS, which has a total surface of 54.000m². These numbers are further divided into arrival times, which are times they choose to get in line at the entrance. This way, we spread the crowd not only in the FACTS halls, but also when queuing to get in.
We will also have smart cameras that monitor the crowd density at all times, which means that it will tell us when a side hall has reached full capacity considering the new strict standards. Then, our crew will shut off the side hall temporarily, until people make room again.
In other words, you won’t even notice that there are other people around.
To ensure a safe spread of the big number of visitors, we have changed the opening hours and started working with 2 time slots. These time slots are further divided in arrival times, to avoid large queues at the entrance. You choose these arrival times when you buy or rebook your ticket.
Opening hours:
- Morning slot: 08:30h – 13:30h
- Afternoon slot: 14:30h – 19:30h
Morning slot arrival times (to be selected at ticket purchase):
- 08u15-08u45
- 08u45-09u15
- 09u15-13u30
Afternoon slot arrival times (to be selected at ticket purchase):
- 14u15-14u45
- 14u45-15u15
- 15u15-19u30
If you are late for your time slot, then we consider that as being too late and you probably won’t be allowed in. We have to make sure that we don’t exceed the maximum number of visitors during a certain time slot, in order to maintain the 1,5 meter rule and t keep crowd density as low as possible. Keeping the visitors of one time slot separate from the other is extremely important.
However, if you are late for your time of arrival, then you can always enter at a different time within your time slot. Chances are that you’ll have to wait much longer to enter though. We’ve implemented these arrival times to ensure that we don’t have too many people at the entrance at the same time. We would like to ask you to respect your chosen times as much as possible, for safety reasons.
- The time slot is the morning (8:30 – 13:30) or afternoon (14:30 – 19:30) period.
- The time of arrival is a moment within a time slot that you choose to present yourself at the entrance. For example, if you’re late for the 8:30 – 8:45 time of arrival, then you can still visit FACTS in the morning. If the next time of arrival period is sold out, then you’ll have to wait for the last and largest one.
The sooner you buy your ticket, the higher the chance that your preferred time of arrival is not yet sold out.
Not smaller, but different. We will focus more on domestic talents and there will be less fans present at the same time, but we’ll still have the atmosphere and magic you’re used to. Also: your ticket will still allow you to enjoy dozens of free, fun activities and shows.
Plus, there won’t be a lot of people in the halls, so it’ll be a very pleasant and unique way to cruise through the many activities, booths and shows that FACTS has to offer!
We recommend that you keep an eye on the website of the Belgian government, to check whether your area is, was, or has become an ‘orange’ or ‘red’ area. If so, then there are certain rules you must abide. Head to this website for more info.
ACTORS, ARTISTS & OTHER GUESTS
In these corona times, we can never be sure that the travel options for our guests remain the same shortly before the show, so the chances for cancellation are too high in this regard.
Also, people from certain locations are required to undergo a quarantine period before being allowed to do the FACTS show in the first place and sometimes another quarantine period when they get back in their country, which is of course impossible for stars to do.
In short: there are too many uncertainties that make it impossible for big international guests to come to FACTS this edition. Keep an eye on our website and social media for updates on the actor line-up and other activities.
It is not yet certain which actors will be postponed and which will be cancelled. Keep an eye on our social media and website for updates!
Photoshoot tickets will be refunded either way, since there is no way to tell how the COVID-19 pandemic will evolve in the coming months.
No, there will be no signing sessions or photoshoots with local actors or other guests. Artists will still accept commissions and sketch requests.
Yes! Feel free to head to the Artist Alley for your artsy needs. FACTS will take enough measures to ensure a safe conversation and transaction.
Yes, but please don’t bring any gifts that they’re expected to keep.
COSPLAY
Yes, you are still required to wear a mask when you cosplay.
We realise that his is challenging for cosplayers to incorporate, BUT we do have a post full of inspiration for cosplays that beautifully use face masks. Check out this post!
It is important that everyone sticks to the rules and regulations of the Belgian government. On this website you can see for yourself which types of masks are considered effective.
TICKETS
Everyone with a FACTS Spring 2020 ticket that decided not to refund the ticket and keep it for October 2020, will receive an e-mail with choices. They will also have to choose a time slot and a time of arrival. There are different options for each ticket type, so please read the info in those mails and please keep an eye on your mailbox and spambox in order to give us the contact details for refunds or transfers.
Since FACTS is now required to work with time slots and arrival times for entry tickets, it is impossible to sell anything other than Standard and Cosplay day tickets. The new format and the new health measures do not allow it.
Don’t worry, you will get the option to refund entirely, or to rebook your fancy ticket to a Standard ticket and get a partial refund.
All photoshoot tickets will be refunded. Everyone with a photoshoot ticket will receive an e-mail with further steps.
All refunds will be handled on September 14th at the earliest.
Everyone who kept the FACTS Spring 2020 ticket for October will receive an e-mail with a possibility to ask for a refund.
However, people who come from abroad will also have a lot of things to do and discover at FACTS. This edition may focus on national and local content for the shows, but many activities and shows will still have the classic FACTS seal of quality and will appeal to any and all fans of pop culture. There will be several general activities, the main hall is still filled with geeky treasure and there are still enough things to do if you come from abroad.
IF there is an infection at FACTS, we need to help the people who do contact tracing, so that they can contact the people that person has been in contact with. It is important – and mandatory – to have a detailed archive of all visitors. This will of course NEVER be used for promotional or other purposes.
Then you need to buy a ticket for both time slots. You will need to leave the FACTS halls between 13:30h and 14:30h for the thorough cleaning session and you will need to re-enter the queue at the entrance in the correct arrival time period.
HEALTH & SAFETY MEASURES
MASKS
Face masks are mandatory in every location of the FACTS premises, at all times. The normal Belgian rules apply, which means that you can take it off when you’re eating or drinking.
No. You can only take it off if you are sitting down in designated catering areas to eat or drink. Smokers can also take their masks off in the designated smoking areas, provided that they respect the 1,5m rule.
Eating and drinking is only allowed in the designated catering areas!
No. You need to wear a mask at all times, except when having a drink or eating.
Yes! There will be one open air area where you can go to have a smoke. It’ll be indicated on the floor plan. You can take off your mask when having your smoke break. Please respect the social distancing rules at all times.
Starting from the age of 12, in accordance with the Belgian national health measures.
There will be some masks available for sale at the entrance of FACTS.
- People can and will be denied access if they don’t want to wear a mask.
- If we find out that certain people are not complying by the rules in flagrant ways, we will be able to escort them to the exit. We of course won’t chuck you out if you’re of good will and simply forget about it for a moment.
- If you see someone who is not complying with the health and safety rules, then please notify security or have the FACTS crew notify security. You can recognise security by its ‘G4S’ insignia.
FACTS cannot make exceptions on the face mask rule, in order to protect the fans that decide to join us. It is mandatory that everyone is wearing a mask.
EXHIBITORS & OTHER
No. We have quite a few new rules, which you can also view when clicking the button above the FAQ section, for the corona health & safety measures. These two rules will probably have the biggest impact on your route:
- One-way aisles: you’ll only be able to move in one direction in certain locations. In others, you’ll be able to choose a walking direction.
- Visitor density monitoring: It’s possible that we close off a certain hall if the maximum capacity is reached in that hall. So prepare your visit on our website and be on time for the sessions of your choice!
We have enough measures set up to ensure a safe visit. Walking directions, time slots and arrival times to avoid queues at the entrance and in the halls, 1,5m social distanced chairs at shows, etc. We ask everyone to comply with these rules to guarantee a safe and care-free visit for everyone.
These measures will cut down the total amount of visitors by a lot, but we’re already glad that we can welcome you at all. And the health and safety of the fans is much more importance right now.
If you’re in the same bubble, yes. If not, then you might want to get creative. Like experimenting with forced perspectives, like they did in The Lord of the Rings. How cool would that be?
- People can and will be denied access if they don’t want to wear a mask.
- If we find out that certain people are not complying by the rules in flagrant ways, we will be able to escort them to the exit. We of course won’t chuck you out if you’re of good will and simply forget about it for a moment.
- If you see someone who is not complying with the health and safety rules, then please notify security or have the FACTS crew notify security. You can recognise security by its ‘G4S’ insignia.
Yes, everyone will be obligated to wear face masks.
We recommend to pay cashless as much as possible. We will also encourage our exhibitors to accept credit card and touchless payments as much as possible.
There will still be a possibility to withdraw cash at FACTS though, as usual. The ATM is no longer there, but the cash desks will be operational.
Yes, but only if your hands are thoroughly disinfected first. This gel will be available at multiple places at FACTS.
There are no extra tickets needed for any of the inspirational sessions, but we will have special cameras monitoring the visitor density. In other words: if there are too many people in a hall, we will close it off until enough people have exited that hall.
No, sorry! We can’t even allow handshakes or kisses. But we’ll be a-hugging extra when this pandemic is over! ^^
No. In fact, we don’t even recommend them, because research has shown that they give a false sense of security.