Comic Envy

Asheville's family-friendly comic book store is excited to bring back our annual show, Asheville Comic Expo! After a brief hiatus to handle moving our store, we are back and ready to make this show our best one yet!

From Golden Age to current comics, toys, collectibles, designer statues, and almost everything in-between, Comic Envy stocks a variety of fantastically nerdy finds! We welcome seasoned collectors and those new to comics alike- everyone has a comic shop home at Comic Envy!

Location: V803/804/805/806

Fan Guru

A universe of events in the palm of your hand!

FAN GURU is your ultimate one-stop destination for hundreds of fan events around the world. Plan out and attend events with Fan Guru at your side.

Fan Guru is the OFFICIAL app for ACE 2018! Download the app at the link below and follow the ACE event page for updates, access to the con schedule, and much more!

Cheap Joe's Art Stuff

"At our Asheville, NC location we are dedicated to bettering the Asheville community with Art, Art Supplies and Inspiration! Come check out our unique store and have your very own Cheap Joe's experience. Our outstanding staff is friendly, knowledgeable and waiting to help you. We're stocked full of the finest quality professional to student grade art supplies including watercolor oil and acrylic paints, artist canvas, watercolor paper, sketchbooks and more!"

Location: Artist Alley

NC Lego Group

Ocey Newsome-Rogers presents "Name the Marvelous Characters", a large scale lego display. The city is covered with 70 different Marvel characters, each with a small number attached. Name that character mini games will be played throughout the day.

Location: V303

The Retrocade

We have the largest selection of classic and modern video games in the southeast. We offer the best local craft beers and our retro music will always make you want to sing along, but we are so much more than that. We're a place where people come together to play. A place to meet your friends or make new ones. We love competition but play for the fun. A place where people of all ages unite not only to have fun but to relive old memories and make new ones. We're not just a business, we're friends. A community where all are welcome. So don that Star Wars t-shirt, arm your phaser, jump in your Mario kart and join us. at the Retrocade! 

Location: V104

Well Played Café

Well Played is North Carolina's first board game café, and we have one goal – to make sure you have fun.Well Played is a special gathering space for friends and family to come together, put down their phones, and connect through play and friendly competition. We have hundreds of board games, a delicious menu of drinks and snacks, and expert Gamemasters on hand to guide you through a one-of-a-kind entertainment and dining experience.

Come visit us in the heart of downtown Asheville at 58 Wall St. and see what all the fun is about!

Location: Gaming Room 2 - Mezzanine Level

ZaPow!

"ZaPow features approximately one hundred artists from all over the United States of America. We focus exclusively on illustration, narrative and pop culture art. We do not exhibit abstract, non-objective, traditional landscapes, still life or utilitarian craft. There is always new amazing art to see at ZaPow! Our group shows change and we bring in one to two new artists each month. When you buy art at ZaPow, you take it with you or we can ship it for you. We will happily ship art to anywhere in the world. We fill that empty spot with new art immediately."  

The Dark Empire

The Dark Empire is a worldwide Star Wars Costuming Organization founded and operated by Star Wars Fans. Blood Kaiburr Spire is an extension of the Ruusan Temple that covers the mapped area of Western North Carolina & Eastern Tennessee. The local members The Blood Kaiburr come together in the pursuit of “Doing Good Through The Dark Side” by bringing all their custom dark-side characters out for pictures and fun for the local community. 

Location: V105

Indulge Images

Indulge Images is the brainchild of the husband and wife team, who, over 18 years, have shared the same passions for the arts and photography as well as widespread travel. Aside from their love of photography which is pretty obvious, Manuel is an internationally known,respected, published calligraphic artist and teacher. Patrice runs and teaches mixed media art at the couple's studio, TEXTure Gallery & Art Bar in Asheville, NC. Local businesses can also rely on us for quality images to promote their businesses and services. Photography can be the single most important tool used on websites and advertising to show potential clients how professional and dedicated you are to showcasing the quality of your business and products.

Location: V101

Alt Media Pros

"Based in Asheville, NC. I strive to create compelling content for my clients. Contact me for all of your photography and video needs.

Alt Media Pros was founded in 2012 to meet the diverse media needs of the Western North Carolina region. I've since expanded into additional states and am always on the lookout for more amazing people to work with."

Carolina Garrison / 501st Legion

The Carolina Garrison is the North Carolina/South Carolina chapter of the 501st Legion. Formed by South Carolina residents, Albin Johnson and Tom Crews in August 1997, the 501st Legion has grown to become an all-volunteer / fan-based, international Star Wars costuming organization with more than 9,500 active members representing 6 continents and more than 47 nations. The 501st Legion also contains over 15,500 approved costumes worldwide through its members. Well known for its charity work, the 501st Legion has become the preferred costuming group for Lucasfilm Ltd. / Disney when it comes to high profile Star Wars events.

Location: V106/V107

Open Hearts

Open Hearts Art Center was developed by three women who had a passion for creating a program that combined their love for art with their desire to make a difference in the lives of differently-abled adults. Based on a holistic approach to habilitative care combined with the use of multiple forms of expression, Open Hearts Art Center has been serving adults with disabilities since June of 2005.  With only a small amount of day programs for adults with intellectual disabilities in the western North Carolina area, and none that focused solely on the arts as a therapeutic approach, Open Hearts has been a one of a kind program for the members of our community.

Location: V201/214

Buncombe County Libraries

“Staff from the Buncombe County Library System will be manning a table, ready to make library cards and talk about all of the great programs they have planned at the library! Also you can register for a drawing to win a free graphic novel! Book nerds unite!”

Location: V205

Youth OUTright WNC

Founded in 2009, Youth OUTright WNC, Inc. (YO) is the only youth advocacy and leadership non-profit organization in the region solely dedicated to empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer, intersex, asexual and allied (LGBTQIA+) youth ages 11-20 in Western North Carolina. Based on 2010 U.S. Census figures, it is estimated that there could be more than 4,000 LGBTQ youth in our 18-county region.

We engage and support LGBTQIA+ youth ages 11-20 to be confident, resilient and compassionate community members. We envision a world where youth of all gender and sexual identities are empowered to reach their full potential. We provide information, support and resources in a safer, inclusive and affirming environment. We believe that no youth – regardless of their sexual identity, gender expression or gender identification – should be bullied, harassed or discriminated against because of who they are or are perceived to be.

Location: V202

The POP Project

Since we began in 2009, the POP Project has worked to spread the power and possibilities of literacy through a greater access to books. We believe that making books available to everyone, especially from a young age, enables people to become more involved citizens, stay better informed, and lead more successful and fulfilled lives.

Today, POP is excited to announce that our mission is expanding to include novels of a different sort. The POP Project is now actively seeking donations of gently used comic books and graphic novels (All Ages–T+) to add to our book deliveries.

We will be collecting donations at the charity raffle of books and comic books!

Location: V204

Literacy Council of Buncombe County

Mission

To increase comprehensive literacy and English language skills through specialized instruction by trained tutors and access to literacy resources.

Vision

A community in which literacy is highly valued and achievable for all.

Our Promise

The Literacy Council of Buncombe County will provide ongoing, hands-on, and accessible tutoring for its students and the resources and training needed for its volunteers. Our donors will witness the positive impact for both the individual and the community at large.

Location: V203

Manna Asheville

MANNA FoodBank is a private, not-for-profit service organization, that links the food industry with over 200 partner agencies in 16 counties of WNC. MANNA is an acronym and stands for Mountain Area Nutritional Needs Alliance. We are a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. Together we can solve hunger.

We will be collecting donations at our charity raffle! Please see list below of most needed items!

Location: Charity Raffle: V102/103