Because I’m nothing if not accommodating to my friends.

LAWN-CON 5: FREE COMIC BOOK SHOW JOINS ARTISTS OF THE RUSTBELT FOR HUGE AUTUMN MARKET EVENT
(Sunday, OCT. 5, 2014. B&O Station, 530 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown. 12–6 PM)

Autumn is filled with excitement and mystery. Strange and wonderful things happen when we gather for the Halloween season. This year, LAWN-CON 5: FREE COMIC BOOK SHOW and ARTISTS OF THE RUSTBELT have joined forces to make sure that tradition continues!

On Sunday, October 5, from 12 to 6 p.m., the public is invited to the historic B&O Station (530 Mahoning Ave., 44502) in downtown Youngstown, Ohio, for a celebration of the arts that’s guaranteed to amaze.

Inside the B&O Station, 35 area and regional artists will display and offer their original and handmade pottery, photography, prints, paintings, jewelry, clothing, sculpture, Sadie’s Kitchen’s baked goods, Buffcakes and more. The annual ARTISTS OF THE RUSTBELT (ARB) AUTUMN MARKET is always a destination for those looking to add impressive items to their personal collections and home art galleries. Admission to the station is $1 per person and goes to benefit the ARB incubator.

Outside, CHRIS YAMBAR’S LAWN-CON 5: FREE COMIC BOOK SHOW will surround the building with tents and displays housing national, indie and small press comic creators, trading card artists and professionals in the industry. In addition to the traditional entertainment, featuring loud music by Shi Sho, Punk Willie, Acoustic Harvest, and Particle17, there will be stand-up comedy, side show performances, portfolio reviews and tons of cheap comic books for sale. There will also be an expanded version of Dr. Ray’s Amazing Side Show of Science, a Cosplay-character fashion contest with cash prizes for the winners and Real Action Pro Wrestling in a 20’ X 20’ battle ring. Other highlights will include a celebration of Mr. Beat’s 20th anniversary, a national signing tour stopover by Kurt Kolka for his book Bullying Is No Laughing Matter, a First Day book signing of Yambar’s debut children’s book Midnight Nursery and many other show exclusives.

LAWN-CON 5 will also offer a limited-edition, special-cover LAWN-CON MYSTERY COMIC and prints as fundraising items for donations made to benefit the SMARTS (Students Motivated by the ARTS) community arts school for young people. For more information on SMARTS, visit www.smartsartschool.org.

As in years past, LAWN-CON 5 and Amy Neral will have hundreds of brand new store-quality books to be given away to any child who asks for one.

“We’re all about building a bridge between the comic book community and the general public,” Yambar explains. “But we are also about giving something back to those who encourage the progress of our young people. Training in the arts and furthering childhood literacy are high on our priority list.”

For more information on Artists of the Rustbelt and Lawn-Con 5, simply look for them on Facebook.