Learn what it's really like to be a stormtrooper in the 501st Legion! Get your picture taken with costumed Star Wars characters, and find out how you, too, can become a bad guy in the Star Wars universe by joining the 501st Legion.

Grades: K-12

Want to know about the best comics for 2025? Come hear about what’ll be hot this year as representatives from the Texas Library Association's Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List committee give a speed round of booktalks about their favorites from the current lists.

Grades: K-5

Join award-winning writer Malcolm Harris for an enlightening workshop on world-building. Dive deep into the art of crafting immersive, compelling worlds that captivate readers. Learn how to create a world that readers will want to live in—or at the very least, visit. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, this workshop will provide invaluable insights into making your world-building efforts truly shine. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field!

Grades 6-12

How well do you know your comics?  Think you know more than anyone else?  Well, attend this trivia game session and find out!  Put your comics knowledge to the test against other fans in this interactive trivia game session. (Sessions are separated by grade level; be sure to attend the correct one!)

Grades K-5 and 6-12

Ian Walker will present a short presentation on the process of creating a comic book. Participants will understand the process of creating a comic using PANTHEON. 

Grades: K-12

Presenters—Miracle Austin & Jackie Smith—will begin with a fun and engaging trivia game based on various Marvel and DC characters and a short discussion about the characteristics of a hero vs a villian. After trivia, teams will be given 15-20 minutes to create a character as a team.  Participants will walk away with more confidence in character building in a team setting and utilizing their writing capabilities.

Grades 6-12

Snakes are some of the most misunderstood and misidentified animals. Join Jessica Lee Anderson as she discusses the misleading portrayal of snakes in the media and in folklore, busts some common myths surrounding snakes, and shares her path from inspiration to publication for her NAOMI NASH chapter book series. Ambassador animals will be present for an opportunity to learn more about these unique creatures. 

Grades: K-12

Everyone wants to create a cool main character...but how do you do it? Come learn what it takes to make an awesome main character for your next story!

Grades: 6-12

Critters, insects, and creatures!  Attendees will learn step-by-step how to draw the cute and stylistic designs used by Alejandro to create enamel pins. From insects, amphibians, and cute little rodents, join this session and walk away with your own drawing!

Grades:  K-12

Join SPONGEBOB COMICS cartoonist Gregg Schigiel as he explains the ins and outs of drawing SpongeBob SquarePants (and friends). Follow along to his step-by-step instructions and walk away with your own drawing of SpongeBob and watch and learn how he draws SpongeBob's friends in Bikini Bottom. Participants will learn to draw SpongeBob with their own drawing as a souvenir!

Grades K-12

D&D remains the most popular tabletop roleplaying game with current audiences, with a new Player's Handbook released in 2024. While it's always been at the top of sales and players, it's both very different - and very similar - to its genesis in 1974. Join us for a whirlwind tour of D&D to see how the game began, evolved, and came to be the game it is today, and what spinoffs exist to take the game in interesting new directions!

Grades 6-12

This year's Gaming Hall will be held in the DragonLibrary.  Activities include tabletop gaming with the Royal Dragoon Guard and retro video gaming with David Jureka.

Grades: K-12

Level up your character drawing skills in this no-experience-required workshop with a professional artist and game developer! By the end of this workshop, you'll know how to use basic shapes, measuring skills, and more to create great character portraits from your imagination. Whether you want to draw anime, manga, comics, cartoons, or realism, this talk is for you! 

Grades 6-12

Join Joe Solis as he walks you through the steps of using Kickstarter.  We will create a mock comic book campaign on the Kickstarter website so participants can see the process first hand. Participants will gain a basic knowledge of how to set up a Kickstarter page in order to crowdfund their comic book.

Grades 6-12

Samantha M Clark has created brand new worlds with magical creatures, alien plants and scrummy food. Join her in this fun presentation where YOU too will create a brand new world with the power of your mind. 

Grades: K-8

"I am not the Last Jedi." - Master Luke Skywalker

Rey is seeking younglings for training in the ways of the Force. Come alongside other Jedi from the Jedi Temple on Jakku and hear Rey tell stories from the Ancient Jedi Texts as they unfold in front of you. Then learn to defend yourself from the Dark Side and by using your lessons in the ways of the Force. Assist Rey and other Jedi in protecting the Ancient Jedi Texts from falling into the hands of the Dark Side. 

Grades K-5

The Jungle Obstacle Course is a course where kids get to become animals with their movement! Kids get to discover their primitive movement capabilities by jumping from block to block, climbing up and over walls, balancing on thin ledges, and crawling through tight spaces. It's like a big game of "floor is lava." Make it across the entire course without falling! 

Grades K-5

Hands-on crafts and projects are available for students to make and take.

Grades K-12

Grab your "broom" and get ready to learn how to play Quidditch!!  Join the Longhorn Quidditch team from UT Austin as they provide hands-on instruction in the sport.  "Brooms" and balls will be provided...just bring your energy and get ready to have fun!

You may be familiar with Quidditch from its origins as the fictional sport in the Harry Potter series; however, since its adaptation in 2005, the real-life sport has rapidly grown in popularity to become an organized competitive sport played in over 40 countries. 

Grades K-12

Bryan and Selah Douglas of Pathway Comics will help you craft a four panel comic strip from scratch.  We cover character creation, character foils, reversal of fortune, bringing the micro stories of comic strips full circle, and much more. 

Grades: K-12

Are you obsessed with Baby Yoda and want to know more about how to cosplay the Mandalorian?! In this session, the MMCC will share the materials and tools they to use--as well as shaping, painting and weathering techniques--so you leave with an understanding of how to make quality Mandalorian armor. 

Grades 9-12

Hana Sperschneider presents a drawing workshop that provides a step by step guide for starting a human body and face, then ways to make it more your own. Participants will be able to understand standard proportion when it comes to humans as well as a few ways to change things up! 

Grades K-12

Join comic shop owner Tobi Padwick as he answers questions and addresses topics of the comic industry, such as:  Where does your money come from as a retailer? - How to plan your work and work your plan - The traditional comic shop model vs. the other models - What all of this means for lovers of the comic artform.  Participants will walk away with an understanding of the reality of owning a comic business.

Grades K-12

Did you know you can read thousands of comics for free online (legally)? Did you know the first woman superhero and the first comic book made entirely by Black creators weren't published by Marvel or DC? Did you know you can use these characters to make your own stories - legally!? Learn about the public domain and superheroes!

Grades 6-12

Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess work together on comics, and will present how they both co-write and co-draw. Participants will understand the process of comic collaboration and just how fun and flexible it can be, and learn tips for starting their own collaborative projects. Participants will leave with tips for finding a good process for you and your friends to make comic projects together!

Grades 6-12

Participants will learn how to tell their own original story across multiple forms:  a comic, a book, a game, a song and a costume. With 3 sentences of your original story, Bozarth will show you how to make it into 5 different things - a game, a costume, a song, a book, and a web comic. By thinking about your story in these ways you can tell your story to different people in different places.

Grades 6-8

Think you're pretty good at solving puzzles? See if you can solve this escape room and UNLOCK THE HIDDEN CODE!  Based on PJ Hoover's book, The Hidden Code.

Grades 4-12

When people think of comics, they always first think of the amazing art. This helpful Q&A session with  professional award-winning comic book writer Drew Edwards will cover the basics of writing for comics and get you started down your path to greatness.

Grades 9-12