Hopewell: Free Comic Book Day Festival, live entertainment, vendors, food trucks
HOPEWELL — You are invited to the second annual Free Comic Book Day Festival in Hopewell this Saturday. The event on May 4 from noon to 5 p.m. is a collaboration of The Time Capsule and the Hopewell Downtown Partnership.
For over 20 years, Rick Ralsten, owner and operator of The Time Capsule, has sold comic books, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Funko pops from his beloved brick and mortar location at 205 East Broadway. Previously, his business was located in Chester, Virginia.
I popped into The Time Capsule last Saturday while Ralsten was hosting a Magic the Gathering event. Numerous fans were so engrossed in what they were doing, I don't think they even realized I was there. LOL!
Last year, Ralsten expanded participation in National Free Comic Book Day beyond his storefront into the street with vendors and food trucks. Community members turned out in droves.
“Such a quintessential American art form deserves its own big day," Ralsten said. "This year, we are beyond excited to build on last year’s success with the addition of social media superstars Burn the Jukebox as our live band."
Renowned for their ambitious endeavor of releasing a cover song daily for an entire year, Burn the Jukebox has amassed over 250 million views across social media platforms. This impressive feat has not only showcased their versatility and dedication but also earned them a following of 2.2 million, marking them as true social media stars. Their journey recently included touring with David Michael Frank on his "Private Party Tour" featured by Billboard.
Be sure to stop by The Time Capsule to receive a free comic book, while supplies last. Burn the Jukebox will play three sets from 1 - 4:30 p.m., and vendors will offer delicious eats, comic books, collector cards, face painting, toys, crafted items and more. At the fun event, raffle tickets can also be purchased to try and win weekend passes to Cosplay World USA in Richmond on June 15 - 16 or Immersecon in Henrico on June 22 - 23.
Free parking is available in the large public lot next to the Appomattox Regional Library at 209 East Cawson Street. Free street parking is also available at a second large lot near the Hopewell Municipal Courthouse.
In 2001, comic book shops presented free comic books to customers on the same day around the world and the annual tradition continues to delight fans. Joe Field, a California-based comics retailer, event promoter and partner in WonderCon, created Free Comic Book Day. According to Diamond Comic Distributors, over 2,000 stores participated in the inaugural Free Comic Book Day and gave away more than two million comic books from four publishers. The following year, 29 publishers participated.
Grab some friends and family members to attend the street festival in Downtown Hopewell this weekend. Everyone is encouraged to cosplay or dress up as their favorite character or superhero. Follow The Time Capsule and The Hopewell Downtown Partnership on Facebook.
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Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on X and @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Hopewell: Free Comic Book Day Festival, live entertainment, vendors
