The Phoenix comic and the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (LICAF) are thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership that will see Phoenix Fest 2025 coming to the heart of the Lake District this autumn.
For the first time ever, Phoenix Fest – the UK’s best-loved children’s comics festival – will join LICAF for a weekend of storytelling, creativity, and comic fun in Bowness-on-Windermere, from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th September 2025.
Presented by The Phoenix comic, and organised by LICAF, Phoenix Fest 2025 will host a special line-up of live events designed especially for children and families. These unique events will feature a wide range of creators from The Phoenix bringing the comics, characters, and stories to life through interactive shows, drawing workshops, comic signings and general Phoenixyness!
Held annually, Phoenix Fest has become a sell-out celebration of children’s comics and children’s comic creators. Previous years have featured top creators such as Bunny vs Monkey’s Jamie Smart, and Donut Squad’s Neill Cameron.
“All the kids who come to Phoenix Fest say it’s the best day of their lives," enthuses Tom Fickling, Managing Director, The Phoenix. "And it is for us too. It’s a one of a kind event, where comic-loving kids and the very best comic creators in the UK get together to celebrate comics and creativity. It’s hugely enjoyable and it fills the whole Phoenix Team with enough zeal and energy to keep making the comic for another year.”
Partnering with LICAF to bring the festival to the Lakes opens up an exciting new chapter for the festival – giving young comics fans in the North of England the chance to take part in a brilliant, immersive comics experience that’s previously been too far away for many to attend.
“We’re so thrilled to be working with LICAF to bring Phoenix Fest 2025 to life,” said Joe Brady, Editor of The Phoenix. “Working with LICAF is such a natural fit – it’s a weekend organised by comic lovers, for comic lovers.”
LICAF is the only comic art festival of its kind in the UK. Modelled on European-style town-wide celebrations like France’s Angoulême Festival, LICAF transforms Bowness into a comics hub each September. Alongside its public programme, LICAF also supports comic creators through commissions, international exchanges, and its Comic Rights Market, all with support from the Arts Council.
Julie Tait, LICAF Festival Director, said : “We’re delighted to welcome The Phoenix and Phoenix Fest to LICAF this year. It’s a perfect partnership that builds on our shared commitment to nurturing creativity and inspiring young readers and artists.”
The Festival's aim is to celebrate the whole spectrum of comic art, inspiring existing comic art fans and creators and, it hopes, generating new audiences and creators too. It invests in creators through a commissioning programme and has an emphasis on developing international collaborations.
Tickets for Phoenix Fest events will be sold separately from LICAF’s general Festival Pass, and will go on sale at 8.00pm on Tuesday 1st July 2025.
Further details, including the full line-up and event updates will be available via www.comicartfestival.com and www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk
Tickets for the Phoenix Fest sessions will go on sale at 8.00pm on Tuesday July 1st 2025
• Festival Passes for the rest of LICAF 2025 are available now
• Tickets for Phoenix Fest 2025 events at LICAF will not be included in the LICAF Festival Pass. Booking details will be clearly marked on event pages
• LICAF runs from 26th–28th September 2025 in Bowness-on-Windermere
• Phoenix Fest 2025 events will take place on 27th and 28th September 2025 at the LICAF festival
• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is online at: comicartfestival.com | comicscanchangetheworld.com | BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Guests announced so far for LICAF 2025 in alphabetical order are Charlie Adlard, Mehdi Annassi, Serge Bloch, Philip Bond, Shelly Bond, Chris Condon, Dagsson, Simone Lia, Lorenzo Mattotti, Bill Morrison, Robbie Morrison, Mike Perkins, Jacob Phillips, Sean Phillips, Will Potter, the Rickard Sisters, Mohammad Sabaaneh, Alison Sampson, Chris Shepherd, Lucy Sullivan, Donya Todd and Craig Thompson. More guests will be announced in the coming weeks.
• For more on the Lakes International Comic Art Festival’s Comic Development Work please visit Comics Can Change the World at comicscanchangetheworld.com | Follow Comics4Change on BlueSky
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