Zinesters Back In Action At Chicago Zine Fest

By Betsy Mikel in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 23, 2011 7:40PM

After the success of last year’s inaugural Chicago Zine Fest, the zinesters are back for another weekend of readings, exhibitions and karaoke. In case you were wondering, zines are those little hand-drawn, photocopied and folded up books about anything and everything. Before it was hip to use Kindle as a self-publishing platform, zinesters were self-publishing these little books. This weekend’s Zine Fest will give all those DIY self-publishers a chance to come out of their underground holes and unite!

The festival starts Friday, March 25 over at Columbia College Chicago with a Q&A with published zinesters, Al Burian and Aaron Cometbus. Then the fest heads to Wicker Park for youth and exhibitor readings at 826CHI on Saturday, March 26. Then there’s zinester karaoke at Quimby’s, “a great way to get to know tablers at the fest.” The final and last day of the fest will be back at Columbia College Chicago, and will feature a couple floors of zinester tablers (there are still a few spots open), workshops, lectures and a DIY film festival. As always, all events are free and open to the public.