The Chicago Zine Fest is a celebration of small press and independent publishers, with free workshops, events, and an annual festival. This year's CZF will be held May 5-6, 2017. THIS WEEKEND! I have been an organizer for the fest since 2014 and am excited to see everyone at this year's fest. Here is some information about what is happening this year and where it's happening... For more info, please go to www.chicagozinefest.org
All events during CZF weekend are always FREE, ADA/wheelchair accessible, and open to the public! CZF 2017 will take place over two days: Friday May 5th for a panel discussion & exhibitor reading, and Saturday May 6th for our main exhibition.
Friday May 5th: panel discussion & exhibitor reading at Co-Prosperity Sphere(3219 S Morgan St in Bridgeport).
6:30-8 pm: panel on “Tools of Survival: Using Zines for Self-Care,” featuring panelists JC, Rinko Endo, and Kevin Budnik and moderated by School of Life Design co-founder Kelly Cree. Thanks to The University of Chicago Library for sponsoring our Friday night panel!
8-9:30 pm: exhibitor readings from zinesters & comics artists Natasha Hernandez, Bianca Xunise, Aus & Lauren, Eryca Sender, Sage Coffey, Javier Suarez + Cameron Del Rosario, Fiona Avocado, and Jim Joyce.
Saturday May 6th: zine exhibition from 11 am-6 pm at Plumbers Union Hall(1340 W Washington Blvd).
Workshops throughout the day on Saturday:
- 12:15-1:15 pm: Ever Evolving Bastion of Freakdom: a Retrospection of Quimby’s Bookstore. Owner, manager, workers, and customers all chatting about Quimby’s twenty-five-year history. Emceed by CZF organizer and youth educator Alex Nall.
- 1:30-2:30 pm: Zines: the Next Generation. Join the youngest members of the zine community while they show us all up with their zine skills. Bring your work to share and sign up to read at 1:30 p.m. Emceed by CZF organizer and youth educator Alex Nall.
- 2:45-3:45 pm: Experimental Drawing Techniques with Mackenzie M-B. Ever wanted to use different modes of drawing in your zines? Like, something that is still highly observed but is more “show” and less “tell”? This workshop will teach you how to incorporate some experimental drawing techniques to deepen and strengthen your drawing practice. We will use keystone techniques in the workshop and share ideas around how to take these techniques back into the studio. Let your drawing puppy off that leash! Please bring a sketchbook and something to draw with.
- 4:00-5:00 pm: Press-less Patch Printing with Fata Morgana Press. Workshop participants will learn cheap and easy methods for printing patches at home including vegan gelatin printing, ink slab transfer, cyanotype, xerox transfer, and pochoir stenciling. Led by Mary Clare Butler and Amy Leners.
There will also be all-ages activities all day Saturday, including:
- 11:00 am-1:00 pm: Letterpress. Spudnik Press will be showing off their new portable letterpress at the activity table. Make some analog magnetic poetry to keep on a card forever or send to a friend!
- 1:00-3:00 pm: Button making. Join Busy Beaver Button Co. at the activity table to make custom buttons.
- 3:00-6:00 pm: Sticker-making & arts and crafts. Everyone is invited to join staff from The WasteShed, Chicago’s Creative Reuse Resource, for mini-zines and sticker making.
- all day: Photos. Get your glamour on in the GlitterGuts photo booth.
More information about Chicago Zine Fest 2017…
A list of exhibitors and invited guests tabling at CZF 2017 is now available.
Exhibitor registration is full! We do have a wait list available, but please be aware we have over 100 people on our wait list, so your chances of getting a table are slim. If you’re still interested in taking a chance on a spot, get started by signing up for the wait list here.
Our CZF 2017 artwork was created by Chicago artist Mike Centeno! Find out more about Mike’s work at his Instagram account (@mike_centeno) and his website: MikeCenteno.com.
