'Zine Fests across the USA

The Quail Bell Guide to 2013 'Zine Festivals

By Claire Ledoyen
QuailBellMagazine.com

From Albuquerque to Scranton and in Quail Bell's hometown of Richmond, Virginia, 'zines are still celebrated full force in the USA. First short for "fanzine," the 'zine is now a symbol and staple of D.I.Y. and independent publishing. Anybody can make one, and because of that they are one of my favorite mediums of communication. 

Here's a list of 'zine festivals happening soon across the country where you can buy and trade zines as well as hear speakers, participate in workshops and pick up lots of other cool stuff:

San Francisco Zine Fest: August 31 –September 1, 2013
1199 9th Ave and Lincoln Way, in Golden Gate Park

With tables from well-known small presses to ones from “first time self-publishers," the Bay Area’s premiere 'zine festival serves to prove that zinester and D.I.Y. cultures are thriving. It will feature over 140 illustrators, designers, printmakers, cartoonists, and crafters sharing their work, as well as a few special guests - cartoonist Justin Hall, creator of Glamazonia the Uncanny Super Tranny and editor of No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics; and Roman Muradov and Sophia-Foster Dimino, husband and wife illustrators who each have a long-form comic coming out this fall. SFZineFest.org

RACE RIOT! Tour, Presented by POC Zine Project: October 2013
This October: 20 cities. Awesome 'zines. Radical people. It's this year's RACE RIOT! TOUR!
PoC 'Zine Project is a group of kickass people that do incredible work in the representation of People of Color in 'zine culture. Described in their mission statement as “an experiment in activism and community through materiality,” POC 'Zine Project undertakes the search for and sharing of zines created by underrepresented races in the zine culture, and information pertinent to their commitment. They also do really sweet events, like the Race Riot Tour, which will feature a bunch of speakers, workshops and also awesome 'zines by PoC. 

2013 #RACERIOTTOUR DATES & CITIES

10/3 - New Orleans, Louisiana Pt 1

+ ACADEMIC PARTNER: Amistad Research Center/Tulane University

10/6 - Houston, Texas

10/7 - College Station, Texas

10/8 - Austin, Texas

10/10 - Albuquerque, New Mexico

10/12 - Mexico (TBD city)

10/14 - Tucson, Arizona

10/16 - Los Angeles, California Pt 1

+ACADEMIC PARTNER: USC Queer People of Color Club

10/17 - Los Angeles, California Pt 2

+ACADEMIC PARTNER: UCLA/Powell Library/Julia Glassman

10/19 - Bay Area, California (city TBA)


Looking for the right academic partner. Can you help?

10/21 - Sacramento, CA

10/23 - Portland, Oregon

10/25 - Seattle, Washington

10/27 - Montana (City TBA)

Looking for the right academic partner. Can you help?

10/29 - Bismark, North Dakota

Looking for the right academic partner. Can you help?

10/30 - Fargo-Moorhead (area), Minnesota

10/31 - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Looking for the right academic partner. Can you help?

11/2 - St. Louis, Missouri

11/4 - Louisville, Kentucky

+ACADEMIC PARTNER: KDC Fighting for Immigrant Rights & Equality - FIRE

11/5 - Nashville, TN - TENTATIVE

11/7 - Atlanta, Georgia Pt 1

11/8 - Atlanta, Georgia Pt 2

11/9 - Montgomery, Alabama


 Also, you should just check them out. Not only is their blog incredibly informative, their Twitter game is on point. ;) POCZineProject.Tumblr.com

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Richmond 'Zine Fest: October 5, 2013
The RVA 'Zine Fest has been our go-to 'zine fest since its kickoff in ’07! (Okay, so we didn't start tabling 'til '10, but that's because we didn't exist before then!) This year, it will again be held at the Gay Community Center of Richmond (GCCR), and will be a Safer Spaces Event - this means that any form of discrimination or otherwise distressing behavior will not be tolerated. Expect lots of zines, workshops, and fun. RichmondZineFest.org

7th Annual Baltimore D.I.Y. Fest: November 16, 2013

First of all, this is not strictly a 'zine fest. However, it should be on this list because it sounds badass. This November, look out for the 7th annual D.I.Y. Fest in Baltimore, Maryland. This event is all about teaching everyday people useful skills to live a more wholesome life – pretty much. Past workshops include Food Canning 101, How To Write a Resume, Amateur Radio, Urban Foraging, and Small Animal Skinning. DIYFest.org

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Philly Feminist 'Zine Fest: November 23, 2013
The 2013 Feminist 'Zine Fest in Philadelphia has been postponed until late November! This year’s event will be a fundraiser for Project SAFE, an organization committed to the welfare of sex workers in Philly. In addition to radical feminist 'zine action there will be workshops, raffles, and vegan goodies. On the night before the fest (Nov. 22nd), a 'zine reading will take place at Wooden Shoe Books on South Street. PhillyFeministZineFest.org

Here are a few fests to be on the lookout for in 2014:
Chicago 'Zine Fest (looking for 2014 participants!)
New Orleans Anarchist Bookfair
Scranton 'Zine Fest (check out their interview with our very own Christine Stoddard!)
Midwest 'Zine Fest