AnimationFest drew people together for night of fun
![AnimationFest drew people together for night of fun](https://dailybaro.orangemedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/a027881d16702e032a216f488e989913-1.jpg)
August 10, 2016
Over 200 attendees from all over the Pacific Northwest were drawn to the 6th annual outdoor AnimationFest held last Saturday in southeast Corvallis.
AnimationFest featured an all-night marathon of 100 hand picked cartoons, with cartoons ranging from 1908 to present day. Celebrating over 100 years of cartoons, attendees reminisced over their favorites from Nicktoons, The Golden Age of Animation, Adult Swim, and more.
Throughout the nine hours and millions of animated frames, there was a barbeque as well as dancing and music provided by DJ BrrD. Retro games were also provided, with titles including Super Mario 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, and various Nintendo 64 games.
The event was held by The Living Cel, a group of animation and film enthusiasts who seek to bring people together in celebration of their passions. In addition to hosting yearly AnimationFests, The Living Cel has held retro game festivals. Since 2010, they have held 11 free events.
Phil Hochheiser, a founding member of The Living Cel, orchestrated the festival along with co-founders Erik Jensen, Courtney Spaulding and Stefan Francavilla. The Living Cel also has support from a number of volunteer artists.
“We want to bring artists and introverts together in celebration of our passions to help better the world,” Hochheiser said. “AnimationFest creates a safe space for people to gather and make new friends over shared interests”.
The Living Cel is not only planning next year’s AnimationFest, but are hoping to host more events that build a community for artists and animation fans alike. He also mentioned that their long-term vision includes a community land where they host their festivals, have an animation studio and space for artists in residence.