Free Comics & Fandom Fun for All Ages
Wear your best cape and cowl (or your favorite wizard robes) and join us for an all-ages celebration of comics, gaming, fandom and pop culture! Comic Fest returns to the Beaches Library for its 11th year from 1 – 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2026. This FAN-tastic free event is sponsored by Friends of the Beaches Branch Library and organized by your favorite librarians.
Find All Your Local and Fandom Faves
DJ Mario Lambert will spin requests and play fandom favorite music throughout the event. Andrew Kozlowski and friends from Duval Comic and Zine (DCAZ) return for another Mini-Comic and Zine Making Activity in the Conference Room. We're inviting around 20 local artists, authors, and makers to sell their original and fandom-inspired creations at the event. There will even be a Karate Demonstration with students from local dojo Asian Dragon Martial Arts!
| Time | Activity / Details |
|---|---|
| 1 - 4 PM |
Comic Fest Begins!
|
| 1 - 4 PM |
Children's Room:
|
| 1 - 4 PM | DCAZ Presents: Zine Making in the Conference Room |
| 1 - 2:45 PM |
Community Room:
|
| 1 - 2:45 PM | Cosplay Contest Registration at the Reference Desk |
| 2:00 PM | Karate Demo with Asian Dragon Martial Arts located Outside |
| 3:00 PM | Cosplay Contest Lineup in the Atrium |
| 3:15 PM | Cosplay Contest Judging in the Community Room |
| 3:45 PM | Cosplay Contest Awards in the Community Room |
| 4:00 PM |
Comic Fest Ends... until next year! Don't forget to turn in your Bingo Card for a Free Comic! |
Other activities and special guests include:
- Get your cosplay photos with the Beaches Photography Club
- Demos with Fletcher Middle School "Beach Bumz" Robotics Club
- Lightsaber combat tips with the Last Council Saber Academy
- Scavenger hunts, button making, games, craft stations, and more!
It's a truly epic team up of local cosplayers, gamers, comic creators, and fans from the Beaches community and beyond.
Get email reminders about this and future events!
Where Is Your Super Suit?
Make sure your fandom is represented! Come dressed in your cosplay best! Or, just wear that graphic tee you're most proud to own! It's a great way to find community and strike up a conversation with people who share your interests.
Whether you're into anime and manga, Marvel comics or the MCU, the Potterverse books and movies, Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Doctor Who, or all of it: You are sure to feel right at home and find community with fellow readers, geeks and gamers!
Annual Cosplay Contest
Get your costumes ready! Prizes are awarded for first, second and third place in each category:
- Group/Family Category
- Kids (ages birth to 12)
- Teens (ages 13 -17)
- Adults (18 and older)
Cosplay Contest Registration: Next to the Reference Desk from 1 to 2:45 p.m. Lineup starts at 3 p.m. in the Atrium. Note: This year's prizes will include several popular games recommended by and purchased from Darby's Dungeon, a tabletop gaming lounge and store off Beach Blvd.
Special Guests & Artists
This year, we welcome (or welcome back) the following vendors: Briana G. Illustration, CelestialxDragon Productions, CranberrySpring, Crumz Art, TheFlyingTacoz, JoAnne Stefanizzi, JollyGoodDay: Handmade Crafts, JoyanneMG Art, KarcArtz, Kiwikanopi, Michael J.P. Whitmer, Michael Regina, Midnight Pumpkin, Print3DCustoms, Quaint and Crochet, Small Obsession, Tiger Shredds, Tuft Lyfe, Vexed Princess Co. and WriteCute Stories.
More community partners, special guests, and activities to be announced soon.
Get Your Free Comic Book
Every year on the first Saturday in May, comic shops across the country celebrate the creativity, community, and pure fun that comics bring to fans with Free Comic Book Day (FCBD). At the Library, every day is free comic book day. But when you join us at Comic Fest, you get a comic to keep!
The Friends Group works with Gotham City Limit, a local comic shop, to purchase FCBD comics to give away at Comic Fest. There will be a few titles to choose from (for all ages). Note: If you're visiting Gotham City Limit earlier in the day, they will have different comics to give away in store.
More Free Comics and Manga
Can't get enough comics? In addition to our massive graphic novel and manga collection, you have instant and free access to hundreds more titles right on your phone or favorite device! Just visit hoopladigital.com or download the Hoopla app, and have your library card handy.
Don't have a library card yet? Stop by any of our 21 library locations or sign up online!
Explore a diverse universe of comics and graphic novels for new comics readers, die-hard comics fans, and everyone in between! Want a panel-by-panel guided reading experience? Check out ActionView, hoopla's comic-friendly reading technology. When using the app, double-tap a panel, then swipe and watch stories come alive! ActionView is available on their website and across mobile apps.
With titles ranging from action-packed adventures to heartwarming slice-of-life stories and everything in between, manga offers something for everyone. Plus, hoopla's constantly growing collection means you can always find something fresh and exciting to read. Catch up with popular and award-winning series from Tokyopop and Disney or re-discover classics like Neon Genesis Evangelion!
