Expo Schedule of Events!
Friday, February 21st
VIP Pre-show night (For VIP ticket holders only)
Exhibitors load in and set up tables - 3pm - 7:00pm
5:30pm - 7:00pm VIP dinner (For VIP ticket holders and sponsors only)
7:00pm - 9:00pm - Exhibitors/ Sponsors tables open for VIP guests only
Pre-show ends at 9:00pm
Saturday, February 22nd
Regular show open to the public
10:00am - 6:00pm - Exhibitor floor open (Shinn Center)
10:30am - 6:00pm - Professional Panels (Ezell Boardroom/ Ezell Chapel/ Ward Hall)
Show ends at 6:00pm
*7:00pm - 8:30pm - Snow Bear screening and lecture with Aaron Blaise (Ward Hall) *This is a special extra event that has a separate ticket price from the Expo ticket.
Sunday, February 23rd
Regular show open to the public
10:00am- 5:00pm - Exhibitor floor open (Shinn Center)
11:00am- 5:00pm - Professional Panels (Ezell Boardroom/ Ezell Chapel/ Ward Hall)
Show ends at 5:00pm - See you next year!
thursday
09
APRIL
THURSDAY
4:00 -
8:00
PM
Early Check-In
This is a tentative time for all exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees' passes only. Load-in for exhibitors begins on Friday.
10
APRIL
FRIDAY
4:00 -
10:00
PM
Load-In
Exhibitors load in and set up their tables.
7:00 -
9:00
PM
AYX Kick-Off Party
VIP Friday night “AYX Kick-off” party - music, socializing, coffee, tea, and desserts for exhibitors, sponsors, special invited guests, and VIP ticket holders only. This will be hosted outside of the Allen Arena if weather permits.
11
APRIL
SATURDAY
9:00
AM
VIP Early Access
VIP ticket holders have early access to our Exhibitor halls. Exhibitors will be located in the Shinn Events Center and the Ezell 3rd-floor conference rooms.
10 AM
- 6 PM
Exhibitor Halls Open
Exhibitor halls open to Standard Ticket attendees.
9:30 -
11 AM
Masterclass 1 | Drawing with Animals
Taught by Aaron Blaise | Saturday in Ward Hall 9:00-10:30 AM
From the Disney Supervising Animator of Rajah in Aladdin, Young Nala in The Lion King, and the co-director of Brother Bear, comes the best class on drawing animals from a master of the subject, Aaron Blaise. Join Blaise as he teaches on his approach to research, breaking down the subject into understandable shapes, and creating motion and expression that turn into relatable characters. Examples from his famous work will be discussed! This masterclass is a must!
10:30 AM
- 6:00 PM
Panels
Panel events, all of which will be located in the Swang Building.
11 AM
- 5 PM
Life Drawing
Life drawing 2 times a day.
2:00 -
3:30 PM
Masterclass 2 | World Building for Story
Taught by Samuel Michlap | Saturday in Ward Hall 2:00-3:30 PM
Join Production Designer, Samuel Michlap, for World Building for Story, a hands-on class focused on turning ideas into cinematic worlds. Drawing from a career spent building worlds across animation and live action, Michlap will break down how story becomes cinematic space — from understanding the story ask, through research and mood boards, into vignette thumbnails, refined sketches, and the design choices that shape a world through form, color, and light. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to take ideas from script to screen, this masterclass unpacks a real-world process to help you level up your visual storytelling.
7:00-
8:30
PM
Here's the Pitch - Special Event
Saturday night special ticketed event: “Here's the Pitch” - 4 independent professional creators share their pitches for their dream projects and reveal their process for seeking funding and distribution. Jon Densk, Nathan Engelhardt, Bryan Engram, and Aaron Blaise. Hosted by Tom Bancroft.
12
APRIL
SUNDAY
8:00
AM
Chapel Service
Chapel service (non-denominational open event) led by Brian Chan | located in Swang 110
9:00
AM
VIP Early Access
VIP ticket holders have early access to our Exhibitor halls. Exhibitors will be located in the Shinn Events Center and the Ezell 3rd-floor conference rooms.
9:30 -
11 AM
Masterclass 3 | The Making of Mushka
Taught by Andreas Deja | Sunday in Ward Hall 9:00-10:30 AM
Disney Animation Legend Andreas Deja, creator of beloved characters ranging from 'Scar' in The Lion King and 'Lilo' in Lilo and Stitch and more, presents a beautiful 28-minute animated short film, Mushka, a story of love & sacrifice between a young girl and a tiger cub set in Russia. This is a passion project for Deja that he has worked on for over 10 years! Do you have a short film you are passionate about? Come learn how he brought this 2D animated short to life, step by step.
10:00
AM
Kid's Drawing Session with NCS
Kid’s Sunday morning drawing session with NCS (National Cartoonist Society) members.
10 AM
- 5 PM
Exhibitor Halls Open
Exhibitor halls open to Standard Ticket attendees.
10:30 AM
- 5:00 PM
03 Jul
Panels
Panel events, all of which will be located in the Swang Building.
11 AM
- 5 PM
Life Drawing
Life drawing 2 times a day.
1:00-
2:30 PM
Masterclass 4 | Dynamic Posing and Expressions
Taught by Mel Milton | Sunday in Ward Hall 1:00-2:30 PM
Face expressions and body language convey what a person is doing or feeling. In this masterclass, Milton will share construction techniques that help push character dynamism through posing and facial expressions, and will show you how to analyze references and add your personal touches to make it uniquely "yours". We will start with the face and move into the body, and put them together in a way that adds more depth to your characters and another notch to your creative tool belt.
5:00
PM
AYX 2026 Closes
All exhibitors, sponsors, and participants load out of the venue.
See Y'all Next Year!
