Kenosha Festival of Cartooning: Sept. 27-29th

Later this month I’ll be attending the 2nd annual Kenosha Festival of Cartooning, held in beautiful Kenosha, WI. Last year I was one of the guest speakers, this year I’ll be there as a fan. The line-up of guest cartoonists is pretty fantastic: Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), Greg Cravens (The Buckets, Hubris!), Norm Feuti (Retail, Gil), Michael Jantze (The Norm, Jantze Studios), Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine) and Hilary Price (Rhymes with Orange).

Also a big deal this year is the silent auction of original cartoon art, with the proceeds going to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin’s Kenosha Clinic and also Margaret Ann’s Place, a center that counsels children in the wake of a death in the family. The festival”s website has all the details, including a list of pieces up for auction. I donated a page from MAD . . . I think it was from the Hunger Games parody but I don’t exactly remember.

Last year’s festival was great fun, with terrific panels and talks by Tom Bancroft (Disney Animator and author), Sandra Bell Lundy (Between Friends), Paul Gilligan (Pooch Cafe), John Hambrock (The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee), Scott Stantis (Prickly City and Editorial Cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune), and myself.

This Festival is the brainchild of John’s wife Anne Hambrock, whose tireless efforts make the entire thing happen. This iyear a big thank you is need to the National Cartoonists Society Foundation, whose donation matching pledge in the Festival’s Kickstarted drive and sponsorship is making it all possible. The NCSF does not get the recognition it deserves for the work it does in supporting programs, museums and galleries that promote and showcase the world of cartoon art, as well as the annual Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship.

Anyway, I’ll be there! If you have the chance, you should go to!