How Did the Be Excellent Festival of Games Go?

my artist alley table at the be excellent festival of games in sylvania, OH 2024

So the Be Excellent Festival of Games happened on Saturday. How did it go?

Well…it was quiet for the first half of the day. It didn’t pick up until the second half. In talking with the other vendors, it made me wonder what the staff’s strategy was to get the word out about this event. This wasn’t the first show I visited that lacked attendees but charged $80 per vendor table.

For context, Genghis Con in Cleveland opened for applications and happens in December this year. They’re charging $70 for a full table and regularly turn out 4 to 5 times the attendance that Be Excellent Does.

Now, I know this is Be Excellent’s second year as a convention. And this is “post-pandemic.” But it does make me wonder about the longevity of some shows, especially local ones.

So there’s the issue of smaller attendance numbers. But there’s also my body.

The day after Be Excellent, I lost my voice for half of the day and was too worn out to do much of anything. This is very different from before. I used to be able to do three or four conventions in a month and, while rough, I still was ok.

Now? I’m pooped after one event that had no customers until 3 hours into the show.

I think it’s time I start to phase out of doing conventions.

Whether that means taking up a “day job,” or putting more eggs in online sales, commissions, gallery shows, etc – I need to stop doing conventions. It’s funny because pre-pandemic, I had serious thoughts of retiring from cons. Now, I think it’s time to start acting on that plan.

I’m going to be sad about this for a bit. Because conventions were a big part of how I made an income pre-pandemic. But the world has changed, so I need to do the same.

I’m still going to the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Fest and the Free RPG Day event. And if I get into Genghis Con, I will honor that. But I need to respect my body more.

Speaking of Ann Arbor, you can find me this upcoming weekend – June 15 and 16 – at the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival! I still have Caticorn prints and lots of stickers and books available, so be sure to stop by my table.

I still had fun at the Be Excellent Festival! It helped that my roommate and buddy Alex was with me. And also I saw a lot of friends and hung out with some very cool neighboring vendors. Would I do it again next year? Probably not. I need to be kinder to my energy.

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading.

You. Are. Awesome.

Tonight’s Stream is Cancelled

Tonight’s stream is canceled so I can meet with the Ohio Arts Council about potential grant opportunities. Sorry for the late notice!

I’m also going to take a break from livestreams for now. Keep an eye on my YouTube channel for video updates.

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🖌️ I’m available for commissions! Get started with this link.

🎨 TOOLS USED:

  • Streaming – Streamyard
  • Drawing Program – Clip Studio Paint
  • Tablet – Wacom Intuos Pro

👏 THANK YOU TO MY CLUB SUBSCRIBERS! 👏

To get your name added to this list, join one of my clubs.

  • magicalgirlkyra
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  • RPZ
  • Bryce Bargar
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  • GustyBV
  • Cakes
  • Isaiah Broussard Art
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And thank YOU for watching!

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Let’s Draw Cat and Crow Witches – A Livestream

Let’s draw cat and crow witches for Toe Beans and Broomsticks: the Deluxe Edition of my RPG! You can download the free version from my Ko-fi shop.

Be sure to download the livestream BINGO cards (which are also free). If you get BINGO during the stream, you get a discount on my commissions for the rest of March! Just be sure to let me know through the YouTube livestream chat.

⭐ To get free webcomics and other goodies, join my email newsletter.

💜 Get early updates and behind-the-scenes peaks at The Legend of Jamie Roberts by supporting the comic on Ko-fi.

🖌️ I’m available for commissions! Get started with this link.

🎨 TOOLS USED:

  • Streaming – Streamyard
  • Drawing Program – Clip Studio Paint
  • Tablet – Wacom Intuos Pro

👏 THANK YOU TO MY CLUB SUBSCRIBERS! 👏

To get your name added to this list, join one of my clubs.

  • magicalgirlkyra
  • All Unka
  • Raiden
  • Ella Q
  • Andrew Balch
  • Adam Vazquez
  • Maya Smith
  • Pat Jade
  • JessicaMcIntosh
  • RPZ
  • Bryce Bargar
  • Heidi Allison
  • Saphronia Maple
  • GustyBV
  • Cakes
  • Isaiah Broussard Art
  • C McClain
  • Rainer Kannenstine

And thank YOU for watching!

You. Are. Awesome.

LIVE STREAM – Drawing Commissions

Today, September 26 at 6 pm EDT, feel free to lurk while I work on these commissions! If you would like me to draw you something, I have 7 spots available. More info is below the striking workers’ info.

~~SUPPORT THE WGA AND ACTORS’ STRIKES~~

Make a Donation to the Entertainment Community Fund https://tinyurl.com/wga-sag-aftra 

The Snacklist: Donate to Feed Those On Strike https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/the-snacklist-support-striking-workers 

~~DONATE TO THE EQUALITY TOLEDO FOOD PANTRY, SUPPORT THE UAW STRIKES~~

With major car companies having their workers go on strike, my hometown and the area around it are going to feel the effects the hardest. Here’s the page for Equality Toledo’s Food Pantry, a queer-inclusive food pantry raising funds and food for the workers on strike.

🖌️ I’m available for commissions and freelance work! https://tinyurl.com/kelcicommission for more information. And if you’re ready to book your commission, head over to Ko-Fi.

Are you a member of my Fan Club? You’re getting a special discount on commissions this Sunday! If you would like exclusive discounts on commissions (and other merch!), head over to Ko-Fi and pledge $5 a month or more!

That’s all for now. Thank you for watching and reading!

You. Are. Awesome.