This weekend is the big Stumptown Comics Fest 2006, in Portland, OR, kicking off TODAY!

The Third Annual Stumptown Comics Fest hits Portland this weekend with its largest assortment of creators, cartoonists, illustrators, publishers and retailers yet. The show runs for two big days, Friday, October 27th and Saturday, October 28th in the south end of the Oregon Convention Center’s Portland Ballroom.

Admission for the Fest is $5 per day, or $10 for a Weekend Pass (includes a poster and button, while suppplies last), and gives you access to 120 tables of exhibitor space and a full schedule of panels and presentations. Hours for the Fest are:

Friday: 4pm – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 6pm

From the sounds of things, this is a swell indie event, what with Portland having such a lively comics scene. Guests include Paul Chadwick, Colleen Coover, Keith Knight, Kazu Kibuishi and Steve Rolston, but much of the local scene is sure to turn up. Exhibitors include Oni, Dark Horse, Top Shelf, AdHouse, and more. Darn, we wish we could go!

Saturday night there is a big COMIC TONIC party (poster above) sponsored by Top Shelf and Oni.

In celebration of Stumptown Comic Festival 2006, local Portland, Oregon publishers Top Shelf Productions and Oni Press have organized the COMIC TONIC party to take place on October 28th at The Voodoo Lounge.

“Portland is such a unique and amazing city for the comic book industry and Stumptown has become such a wonderful show for Indy comics that we wanted to put together a raucous party to spotlight both,” explained Top Shelf’s Brett Warnock.

The party will take place at The Voodoo Lounge (53 NW 1st Ave, Portland, OR 97209
(503) 241-3840) beginning at 9:00 pm on October 28th, the final day of Stumptown 2006.

“This is an open invitation party. If you’re a creator, retailer, editor, publisher, press or one of the much appreciated fans, we’d love to see you come hang out, have a drink and celebrate everything that is great about our wonderful medium,” said Oni Press publisher, Joe Nozemack.

A limited-edition poster promoting the event has been created by Seattle artist Corey “The Reyyy” Lewis. A portion of the poster’s run will be available for sale at the Top Shelf and Oni Press booths during the Festival.

Send us reports!