Artist Lucy Camacho brings first anime convention to Trenton

Lucy Camacho has been fascinated with anime for as long as she can remember. She said that her interest in Japanese animation and comics, or manga, blossomed at a very early age, laying the foundation for her own artistic pursuits. 

“I’ve been attending [comic and fan conventions] for over 15 years now,” she explained.

Camacho, 27, said she has attended fan conventions of all sizes over the years, giving her a sense of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to organizing an event. 

“I’ve been to conventions that have as little as 30 people in it, and I’ve been to conventions l’ve had over 20,000 people in it,” she said. “So I know what they’re supposed to look like.”

Now she is taking the reins as lead organizer of the first-ever Capital City Anime Fest, set to take place on June 6 at Mercer County Community College’s James Kerney Campus in Trenton.

The event will feature artists and vendors, gaming tournaments, panels, cosplay competitions, live performances, special guests, and more.

Camacho said she was surprised when Darius Dove, a representative of Mercer County Community College, approached her about organizing the convention after seeing her work displayed during the 2025 Pride celebration. 

“We’ve had requests for something like this since 2011,” she explained, adding how staff members even showed her drawings and letters sent from students about bringing Comic Con closer to home. “I had never heard of a college approaching somebody from the outside and saying, ‘Hey, can we do this here?’” 

Camacho grew up in New York City, where she attended the School for Visual Arts, earning a degree in computer animation, computer art, and visual effects. She said that she initially was planning to pursue a career in film, but her goal was abruptly sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic. 

She began working from home as an illustrator in 2020, designing artwork for popular franchises including Monster High, My Little Pony, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

Anime and manga would remain a major influence throughout her life. She remembers growing up watching shows like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and Inuyasha — all of which still hold a special place in her heart. 

“I do my yearly rewatches of Inuyasha. All 200 episodes and four movies every year, because I am such a huge fan,” Camacho said. 

She said that as she has become more involved in Trenton’s arts community, she has found that people in the city have, what she referred to as, “a very healthy dose of curiosity.” 

“They want to know more, and they’ll actually give you a shot to do what you do best,” she said.

Planning the festival, however, has not been a simple task. Camacho said coordinating programming, scheduling, and logistics for the first-time festival has been a learning experience. 

“I think the biggest hurdle has been working with the city [residents],” she said. “Funny enough, I could deal with figuring those logistical things out.” 

Organizers are hoping to draw roughly 800 attendees throughout the day. The event will include about 120 people working the convention and around 40 volunteers.

Programming will include gaming competitions hosted by TCNJ Esports, featuring titles like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart, as well as tournaments run by the South Jersey Beyblade Association.

Panels will cover topics ranging from cosplay craftsmanship and anime music to character design and building creative communities for artists. Other sessions will explore the cultural history of characters such as Hello Kitty and Sonic the Hedgehog.

The event will also feature a cosplay competition focused on craftsmanship, an idol performance stage, and appearances by industry guests, including Luz Batista and Gigi Morikami, along with voice actress Sarah-Nicole Robles, who voiced Luz Noceda in Disney’s The Owl House.

More than 20 artists from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware are expected to participate in the event’s artist alley.

Camacho said organizing the festival has required creativity, particularly since Trenton lacks a large venue capable of hosting events like a convention.

“There is no medium-or large-scale venue in the city,” she said. “We’re being pretty creative using multiple buildings of the college.”

Despite the challenges, Camacho hopes the event will prove there is an audience for it in the city.

“The majority of the comments that I get from people who are local is ‘finally,’” she said. “Finally, something that’s not drinking or smoking or partying.”

For Camacho, the goal goes beyond entertainment — it’s about creating a space where people with shared interests can connect.

“Every anime fan was once not one,” she said. “Hopefully, we can convert a few more.”

The Capital City Anime Fest will take place on June 6 at Mercer County Community College’s James Kerney Campus, 102 N. Broad Street in Trenton, New Jersey. For tickets and more information, visit CCAnimeFest.com. Follow @capitalcityanimefest on social media for updates.