Roll for initiative! Fandom Fest 2026 is returning to Central Library in Harrisonburg on Saturday, November 7th from 10 AM to 3 PM! We're turning the library into a full-scale pop culture celebration. From miniature painting and D&D to Pokémon and super heroes, we are honoring every fandom. Drop in to explore a marketplace of brilliant vendors, catch insights from exciting speakers, and dive into hands-on activities.
Ready to show off your build? Armor up for the Cosplay Contest from 12 PM to 1 PM! Whether you're bringing a custom handmade masterpiece or giving your Halloween costume another glorious run, all skill levels are welcome to compete for legendary prizes.
Admission is completely free (though you'll want some coin for the artisan vendor marketplace). All ages are welcome, so set your spawn point at the library and celebrate your favorite universes with fellow fans!
Schedule
10 AM - 3 PM - Activity Space (Youth Programs Room)
10 AM - 3 PM - Game Space (Grand Meeting Room) - D&D, Pokémon, board games, and more!
10:30 - 11:30 AM - Fold-a-Galaxy with Tom Angleberger! (Main Meeting Room)
12 - 1 PM - Cosplay Contest (Main Meeting Room)
1:30 - 2:30 PM - D&D Rule One: Power and Storytelling as Local Resistance with Josh Fairfield (Main Meeting Room)
Wander through our vendor area to find lots of hands on activities for all ages. A space-themed obstacle course to fly your paper-folded ship through to save the galaxy is waiting for some brave pilots! Visit the paint-and-take to create a new character to take on an adventure in our Game Space. Have questions on how to play the card games? There will be a few vendors who will be more than happy to help you learn the basics. Stop for a bit to try out some video games and challenge the vendor!
Vendors
- Secret Lair Comics
- Wizard Mode Brewcade
- Rocktown Games
- Watchtower Games
- Horizon Gifts & Board Games
- Zorn Vongal
- Geeky Trinkets
Guest Speakers & Authors
Tom Angleberger is the author of the Origami Yoda series, as well as books about Rocket & Groot, Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck, Geronimo Stilton, dinosaurs that write poetry and a two-headed chicken that travels through time and space. He even wrote a book about Harrisonburg although he changed the name to Hairsprinkle for obvious reasons.
Josh Fairfield is the Bain Professor of Law and AI Institute Director at Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he studies the impact of new technology on human systems. He is the author of two prior books on law and technology, including Runaway Technology: Can Law Keep Up? (Cambridge) and Owned: Property, Privacy, and the New Digital Serfdom (Cambridge). Before academia, Professor Fairfield worked as a technology entrepreneur at Rosetta Stone. He teaches and trains students, judges, lawyers, law firms, government departments, and industry leaders around the globe on AI and the law.
Ryan Brosmer is an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator based in Staunton, Virginia where he lives with his four cats and two dogs. Ryan creates weird comics for weird kids as well as writing memoir-style comics aimed at an older audience. His illustrations have been featured in the Cardinal News highlighting life in Southwestern Virginia.
Bella "Bee" Swatosh (she/they) is a graphic designer, illustrator, and comic artist from Richmond, VA. Her work is primarily inspired by fantasy themes and Dungeons & Dragons, especially her ongoing solo webcomic project called The Lady of Gollerus (or TLoG), which she's been working on for about four and a half years. TLoG is a young adult LGBTQ+ fantasy story that follows a group of pirates trying to fix a potentially world-ending prophecy they accidentally interfered with. While TLoG has been primarily posted online, Bella has been slowly reworking it to print as a series of graphic novels. When she isn't working on comics, Bella can be found crocheting, baking, and cuddling with her kitten, Fettucine.















