CELEBRATING EIGHT YEARS IN 2026!!!
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Referred to as “One of the best in-person shows the scene has to offer” and “One of the best Designer Toy Shows on the planet“!
Were both of those quotes by Toyz (A) Live?
Yes!
Does that make it untrue?
Find out for yourself…
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Friday, February 6, 2026
Kick Off Party
8 PM – 10 PM
Wicked Weed Funkatorium
147 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
We return to where it all began! Well… sort of.
In 2022, *Assembly Required hosted it’s ‘return to an In-Person event’, post COVID-19 pandemic, at Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium. Arguably one of the best *AR’s to date, as it is very fondly remembered by all. Great food, good beer, and awesome vibes.
We return again to host the Official Kick Off Party! Come out and meet organizers and many artists coming in from out of town as they arrive in AVL to grab a bite and a pint.
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Saturday, February 7, 2026
*Assembly Required: DAY ONE
11 AM – 5 PM
Battery Park Hall
46 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801
:: $12 General Admission / All Ages / Two Day Pass ::
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the chocolate factory…
As the premiere destination for independent designer, bootleg and art toy artists and collectors, *Assembly Required honors this melting pot of artistic expression as a true to form turn of the century, pop surrealistic art movement.
Nestled within a valley of subculture, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountain range, *Assembly Required brings over 50 artists from across North America to celebrate this avant-garde culture! Attendees will see works of art unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. And, as many of the pieces produced by these artists are made in extremely limited runs, may never see again.
At *Assembly Required, we believe life cannot be celebrated without good music. Host of Asheville FM’s “Let There Be Rock”, The Free Range DJ, returns to tease your ears while you get your toy on.
The Free Range DJ has been spinning tunes since the 80s, starting with mix tapes at parties in college to a decade plus gig at Sign of The Whale on Fridays and Saturdays in Washington to dj’ing private parties and weddings. For the last seven years, The Free Range has hosted Let There Be Rock on 103.3 Asheville FM and gigs around town spinning organic locally sourced vinyl from the last 70 years, with a deep and growing love of music from the seventies eighties and nineties.
As you’re bopping around to the soundtrack of the greatest toy adventure ever, stop by Grift Town Goods live screen printing stall!
It’s totally like magic sand minus the sand and the water.
Casey, a screenprinting artist living in Asheville for over 12 years, will be printing on demand. After starting her one-woman screenprinting business, Grift Town Goods, seven years ago, she has created endless amounts of designs and excitement for other local businesses and events. As the most comfortable shirt in the shirt drawer, Casey’s artwork is all handprinted on responsibly sourced garments and a sustainable way to create hype without the leftover merch. Let her inspire your own attire as well! Having the screenprinting press on site allows for unique, one of a kind prints on your own clothing even. You don’t even have to buy a shirt! Speak to Casey about having this exclusive design printed on your own clothing right there at the event!
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The Design: A collaboration between *AR organizer MJC and esteemed graphic design artist Pavel Ortega, and sponsored by local Asheville artist, Edwin Salas, the design for this years shirt is inspired and dedicated to Saturday morning cartoons of the 80’s: A highly influential ritual at the heart of this generation of artists.
- The Ritual of Scarcity: Unlike today, where content is on-demand, 80s cartoons were fleeting. If you missed the show on Saturday morning, it was gone, making the experience feel special, urgent, and worth waking up early for.
- “Toyetic” Creativity: Due to the deregulation of children’s television by the FCC in 1981, toy companies were allowed to create shows that marketed directly to children. While technically “commercials,” these shows were often well-written and featured elaborate, action-packed storylines to sell toys.
- Iconic Brand Franchises: The 1980s birthed enduring, iconic franchises that dominated pop culture, including He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, ThunderCats, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
- Shared Cultural Experience: The limited options meant children were largely watching the same, limited selection of cartoons at the same time, creating a common, shared language and memory for an entire generation.
- Memorable Production Quality: Despite being produced cheaply and quickly (“limited animation”), many of these cartoons featured memorable theme songs, high-stakes good-vs-evil storylines, and vibrant characters that left a lasting impact.
Cant wait to get to the show to get your own freshly screen printed shirt?
Maybe you’re not attending, but still want one?
No worries, you can obtain this ON-LINE EXCLUSIVE COLOR VERSION right here/right now.
As you walk through the artist alley, you may also smell fresh coffee, hot tea and coco. Does that aroma send you over the moon?
That’s no moon…
It’s Starview Coffee!
At Starview Coffee, they believe the greatest moments of celebration are enhanced with a delicious beverage. Their journey began with a vision to blend the warmth of gatherings with the artistry of coffee-making.
Infused with a passion for both coffee and creating meaningful connections they strive to ensure that every client feels like part of our extended family. In addition to crafting excellent drinks, they are dedicated to working with local businesses and using environmentally conscious products whenever possible.
Their goal is simple: to be your corner of cozy, fun, delicious happiness.
Along with their lovely mobile cart, they aim to bring a touch of Starview sensation to every cup and every guest.
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Sunday, February 8, 2026
*Assembly Required: DAY TWO
Battery Park Hall
46 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801
:: $11 General Admission / All Ages / Two Day Pass ::
Did you spend too much time worrying about a good excuse as to why you didn’t want to come out for day one?
Maybe you were here yesterday, and you passed on one thing that haunted you all night! So much so that you have to come back for a second day!?! Yep… been there.
Com’on back and support an independent event that supports awesome independent artists!
Asheville hasn’t seen anything like this, and we want to keep coming back.
Don’t wait! We’ll only be here one more day, before you have to wait another whole year to get your toy on!
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“It’s the best event in Asheville. I look forward to it every year.”
As in independently run event, a lot of hard work that goes into organizing this expo behind the scenes. If you look forward to coming every year to this event, please consider a donation in any amount to help us continue to bring this very special event to you; to the artists; to the collectors of this community.
Thank you. Your support is humbling. And immensely appreciated.
Matthew J. Casale, Creator, *Assembly Required