Stumptown Comics Fest 2011 Wrapup

Whew!

The 2011 Comics Fest has now come and gone, and I've been having a great time reading about what a great time was had by everyone! The move to the Oregon Convention Center, which was initially met with apprehension by many, proved to be a positive change for the show, allowing for more comfortable flow of traffic and space for the exhibitors.

We had over 3100 folks join us over the weekend to check out all the amazing artwork and comics being presented by over 250 exhibitors, publishers, small pressers, and artists. Molly Crabapple did a live-drawing installation at her space, which she donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and which will be auctioned off in the coming weeks. We had a great benefit dinner for the CBLDF on Friday night, and raised over $300 for the organization! Many of our workshops were standing-room-only, which is a clear sign that the educational programming we're offering is in high demand.

I'd try to list all of the blog entries, photo blogs, news reports, podcasts and tweets people have been posting about the Fest, but instead I'll keep it simple and point you to Comics Reporter's Collective Memory: Stumptown Comics Fest post, and to the !

There have already been a lot of questions about the 2012 Fest, and I can confirm at this point that Kurt Busiek and Geof Darrow will be appearing as Guests at our next Fest, which is scheduled for April 28 & 29, 2012! The guest list will only continue to grow at this point, and exhibitor registration will open up in May 2011. There has been talk of expanding the show floor again for 2012, but I'm going to continue considering this option as exhibitor registrations begin coming in. We'll definitely be offering more workshops and panels, and have plans to expand the peripheral events to begin several days before the Fest. As always, more information will be posted here at stumptowncomics.com as plans solidify.

At any rate, I hope to see you all right back here in Portland next April!