On Sunday, April 12, 2026, the Chicago Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society hosted its first-ever Cartoon Cabaret at Chief O’Neil’s Pub. The committee had the goal to blend community, creativity, and a little bit of chaos, and this event delivered! Part talk show, part drink-and-draw, and entirely its own thing, Cartoonist Cabaret brought together cartoonists, illustrators, and creative folks from across the Chicagoland area for an evening that felt equal parts workshop, networking event, variety show, and reunion.
Hosted by Chapter Chair Johnny Sampson, Co-Chair Matthew Hansel, and Henchman Rich Cruz, the evening moved quickly through segments: slide presentations, live chalk-talk interviews, and interactive drawing challenges. Guest cartoonists Greg Petre (The Santos Sisters) and George Gant (Beware of Toddler) added depth to the evening, sharing insights, stories, and a bit of their process.
Greg Petre Drawing a Santos Sister at the Cartoon Cabaret
George Gant Blindfold Drawing During His Chalk Talk
Every attendee received a goody bag packed with two deceptively simple and surprisingly humbling challenges:
- Draw iconic characters from memory. No references allowed. Characters ranged from Adventure Time to Zits, and the Generation Gap was immediately apparent.
- The One-Panel Gag Challenge – Attendees were also tasked with creating a one-panel gag cartoon based on a prompt. Artists simply needed to draw it, scan it, and submit it through a Google Form.
Check out some submissions in the following gallery!
All in all, this event surpassed our expectations. We hope to make this a semi-regular occurrence, so stay tuned for the next one!