Small Press Expo has announced numerous events that take place around SPX 2025 from September 11 – September 13. SPX will be hosting related events at the Library of Congress, The Czech Embassy, Fantom Comics and People’s Book. Detailed information on all of these events can be found on the SPX web site.

As part of the convention, this year’s SPX is welcomes the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) yearly meeting and panel presentations.

The festival takes place September 13-14, at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, across the street from the North Bethesda Metro stop on the Red Line). SPX will have over 500 creators, 280 exhibitor tables, 22 programming panels and 18 hands-on workshops to introduce attendees to the amazing world of independent and small press comics.

Lists of Special Guests, Debuts, Exhibitors, Program Panels and Workshops can all be found on the SPX web site.

Thursday September 11

An Evening with Graphic Novelist Štěpánka Jislová

The Embassy of the Czech Republic is pleased to welcome acclaimed Czech graphic novelist Štěpánka Jislová for a special presentation of her award-winning autobiographical graphic novel Srdcovka (translated into English as Heartcore)

Time: 6:00PM
Place: Embassy of the Czech Republic
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Author Talk: Ronald Wimberly and Ben Passmore

Ronald Wimberly & Ben Passmore return to Fantom for a joint launch event celebrating the new issue of LAAB magazine: “Three’s Company” as well as Passmore’s upcoming graphic novel Black Arms to Hold You Up: A History of Black Resistance.

Time: 6:30PM
Place: Fantom Comics
2010 P St NW, Upper Floor, Washington D.C., DC

Friday September 12

SPX Lecture at the Library of Congress: Paul Karasik on How to Teach Anything Comics

Join us for an afternoon with two-time Eisner Award winning cartoonist and international comics instructor, Paul Karasik, who has taught the craft of making comics for decades and will share his unique methods for teaching comics that can be applied in any classroom to any discipline. Teachers, students, cartoonists, and comics fans: come prepared to participate in learning more about how comics are built and how your brain is built.

Time: Noon
Place: Madison Building Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., Washington DC

Maia Kobabe and Sarah Peitzmeier, PhD for Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding

A graphic guide to chest binding with real-life stories and research-backed advice from bestselling Gender Queer author MAIA KOBABE and University of Maryland professor SARAH PEITZMEIER.

Breathe arose from the need for a resource for folks considering chest binding as gender-affirming care. Dr. Peitzmeier interviewed twenty-five people of different ages and backgrounds about their journeys with binding, and then she and Kobabe combined excerpts from those interviews with evidence-based resources on binding into this extremely accessible guide.

Time: 6:00PM
Place: Peoples Book 
7014 Westmoreland Ave Suite A, Takoma Park, MD 20912

Fantom Comics Pre-SPX Party

Fantom Comics will hold live comics readings with SPX Special Guests Caroline Cash and Paige Hender, along with SPX Exhibitors Erin Lisette and Andrew White.

Grayson Bear will supply live art to the proceedings

Time: 6:30PM
Place: Fantom Comics
2010 P St NW, Upper Floor, Washington D.C., DC

Saturday September 13

American Association of Editorial Cartoonists Program Panels

The AAEC brings its annual meeting to SPX. They have a full panel schedule on Saturday, including:

• Perspectives: Diversity In Political Cartooning
• Art Of The Nightmare: Facing Down The Regime With Steve Brodner

Time: 11:00AM-5:00PM
Place: Brookside A/B at the Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Drive Rockville, MD. 20852