The last Zine Fest I tabled at was in 2019 – there had been virtual and non-existent Zine Fests since then but this year was the first one back in action and in person. If you don’t know what a Zine is – yes, it Is short for “maga-zine.” (And you do pronounce it as such) Zines can be anything! Primarily they started out as quick and easy ways to share information and art without needing professional book binding. Zines are punk and d.i.y. in origin and the classing 8 panel folded format is still used by most people. In that vein – Zines are pretty cheap to make and therefore a really affordable way to get work from people whose work you admire. I myself had a mix of smaller art / poetry zines at my table this year. Trading is also a huge thing in the culture – Milwaukee actually hosts a really incredible Queer Zine Archive that will usually be present at Zine Fest to collect more work for the archive. You can totally bring your own work and ask people what they’d be willing to trade for it! (This year I traded a sticker pack for a crumpled up green piece of construction paper with a heart on it, drawn by a 7 year old) Zine Fest happens annually so if you weren’t able to make it out this year you should totally sit down and trying to make something fun to bring and trade next year!

Guest blog post by:

Sindie Ho (he/him) 

@puppie.party on Instagram