Free Comic Book Day 2025

Celebrate Free Comic Book Day with us and dive into the convention experience! The City of Lawrenceville is seeking vendors with nerdy or geeky creations, including fanart, hand-painted clothing, items inspired by movies, TV, books, comics, tabletop games, live-action role-play, cosplay, and more. The vendor application is open to businesses offering original, handmade items like fine art, prints, decorative pieces, and artisanal products. Small business owners providing goods and services on the event day, such as candle makers or custom clothing creators, essential oils, charm bracelets, and painting crafts are also invited.  This application does not apply to individuals who work for large companies that provide services such as, but not limited to: insurance, gutter cleaning services, lessons/tutoring, etc.  Please note, that we do not allow competing products at our events. Booth areas may be indoors or outdoors depending on space. Thank you to those who participated in our surveys we will be continuing to offer pre-paid lunches with delivery to your booth. This year we will be providing an optional $15 box lunch from Jimmy Johns. The last day to apply and purchase a box lunch is March 24th. Early Registration ends February 10th at 7:00 am.

Applications will be reviewed and accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited. 

If your business doesn't have an official Business License or Certificate of Insurance, please download and sign the general release waiver at the bottom of the application home page. Upload this document into the areas for the Business license and Certificate of Insurance.

Our theme for this year is “Together, We Create”, and we want to encourage people of all fandoms and levels of experience to come out and share their artistry. This year we want to expand even further, and we need your help.  Last year our event saw over 10000 people throughout the day. We hosted panels and workshops, had a cosplay competition, filled the downtown streets with roaming characters and music, hosted an improv comedy show, and had over 45 vendors celebrating a multitude of fandoms. But the most important thing to know about our award-winning family-friendly event is that it is FREE to the public.  

 

What We Look for in a Cosplay Contest Judge:
•    Individuals who can appeal to a family-friendly crowd. 
•    Individuals who are able to encourage others to compete in the cosplay contest. (We prefer guests who live within a reasonable driving distance of our event, but are open to those who live a little further as well.)
•    Works well with our staff, other cosplay guests and judges, and of course our attendees.
•    Reliable, punctual, good communication with our staff.

•    Individuals who will encourage others to come out and enjoy the event. 

 

 What We Typically Ask For:
•    All cosplay guest and judge cosplays must be appropriate for a family-friendly environment. 

•    Be present during the entire event. Load-in is at 9:00 am. The event occurs between 10:00 am– 5:00 pm. (A 30-minute break and lunch will be provided.)
•  Promotional Social Media content following guidelines provided by the City of Lawrenceville in the social media agreement. (See attached document)

 

What We Typically Provide:
•   An appearance fee. This is an all-inclusive amount.

•   T-shirt and Lunch

Join Us for Free Comic Book Day on May 3rd, 2025!

The City of Lawrenceville is thrilled to host another epic Free Comic Book Day event, and this year’s theme is "Together, We Create"—a celebration of collaboration, imagination, and the vibrant community we build together.

We’re looking for Panelists and Workshop Hosts to bring dynamic and engaging content to our event. We’d love to hear your ideas! If you’re passionate about a topic that inspires creativity and connection, let us know.

To spark inspiration, here are some ideas we’d also love to see:

• Inclusivity in Cosplay
• How to Draw Manga or Comics
• Voice Over workshop
• How to Use Hot Glue for Cosplays
• Hands-on Workshops where participants leave with a finished project
• Panels on the history of fandom, cosplay, comics, or manga

Details:

• Panels and workshops should be 45 to 90 minutes in length.
• Hosts are required to prepare the space for their workshop and remove any supplies following their workshop. 
• We try to offer these free to the public unless we are unable to cover all cost of the workshop. Please fill out the supply requirements in detail and any associated costs. 
• Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited, so don’t wait to apply!
• Please note: this is not an official booking. Accepted applications will be contacted for confirmation.
  
  Let’s make this year’s Free Comic Book Day a celebration of creativity, fandom, and community! We can’t wait to see what you’ll bring to the event.

Cosplay goes beyond just putting on a costume. It involves fully embodying a character from a published work through costuming and acting. Our competition celebrates cosplayers who bring characters to life with handmade costumes, welcoming creators of all skill levels to showcase their work on the main stage. Cosplayers will be judged in the morning and showcase their craftsmanship later in the day. Stay tuned to @the_dtl on Instagram for updates. All cosplay events may be photographed or recorded for future use, with participants consenting to use their likeness by attending. Prizes brought to you by Famore', Surebonder, and the City of Lawrenceville. Rules and Guidelines This is a craftsmanship costume contest meaning cosplays must be at least 70% handmade or altered to be eligible to compete. **UNLESS you are entering the novice category, in which only 60% must be handmade or altered. Contestants must choose a timeslot to be pre-judged between 10:00 am - 11:30 am on May 4th, 2024 at the Bobby Sikes Building (176 E Crogan St, Lawrenceville, GA 30046). This is to ensure the judges can see the cosplay up close. Participants have roughly 5 minutes each in front of the judges. Please arrive 5-10 minutes early. Contestants must return to check in with the event staff at 2:00 PM at the Bobby Sikes Building (176 E Crogan St, Lawrenceville, GA 30046) to walk the stage in the Mainstage Theatre and hear the contest results. If you are not present during this time you will forfeit your right to any prizes that the judges may award. Contestant must enter one of the following categories: Novice: What qualifies you for the Novice category? No major or category awards from any craftsmanship competition, 1-2 minor awards such as judges choice or audience choice. Journeyman: What qualifies you for the Journeyman category? 1-3 Major or category awards in the Novice category or Journeyman category. Masters: What qualifies you for the Masters category? 1-5 Major awards in the Novice or Journeyman category or 1 award in the Master’s category

Free Comic Book Day is coming to Downtown Lawrenceville once again and this year we are going bigger than we ever have before. This year's event will be moved back to Downtown Square with the City of Lawrenceville hosting a mini-convention in the Lawrenceville Arts Center. There will be panels, workshops, artisan vendors, and more. We need volunteers to help run our information booth, check-in, comic giveaways, load-in, etc. Volunteers must be registered to volunteer! When filling out your application please use your personal email address, otherwise, the city may not be able to contact you with further information about the event. While we encourage you to wear your Volunteer T-shirts, we also encourage you to get creative with your outfits and embody the fun of Free Comic Book Day!