With South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026 upon us this weekend, I’d like to pull back the curtain for a moment to give y’all a peek at my co-organizer Jamie Kadas’ process to design this year’s logo. She started with a pencil sketch, which she transformed into a beautiful full-color illustration that truly places our event at the crux of two places so many of us call home: The zine community and the South Side of Chicago.
Here’s what Jamie had to say about the logo:
“I had a lot of fun creating this illustration. I kept a blue zine as the backdrop for the text to pay homage to Aim Ren Beland’s 2025 South Side Zine Fest logo design. I used a combination of primary colors, candy pieces, and zine supplies to add a carnival feel to the logo. Lastly, the city skyline outline is the view from Palmisano Park in Bridgeport (I traced a photo I took so it would be an actual view from the South Side).”
Jamie not only designed our gorgeous logo, she created all of the stunning visuals for our fest, from digital and print flyers to the scavenger hunt cards you’ll receive at the door. And that’s on top of running off hundreds of copies of our program, building our Bozo buckets game, and handling a zillion other behind-the-scenes tasks that must be done to make a zine fest happen.
Since we launched our fest in 2025, Jamie and I have been a small (but, I like to think, mighty!) two-person organizing team. There honestly isn’t anyone else I could imagine doing this with, and I’m not saying that just because she and I are both Virgos who happen to share the same birthday. (Never underestimate #TeamVirgo.)
When you join us at SSZF2026 this Saturday, you’ll see the heart Jamie put into this fest all around you. You can also find her zines and artwork at the Curvy Girl Comics table and online at jamiekadas.com.
We can’t wait to celebrate zines with y’all in Bridgeport!
The Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) is a volunteer driven, listener supported radio station built and run by independent-minded music and arts fans. CHIRP is always live and local, connecting Chicago’s diverse creative communities through its programming and events. Find CHIRP on your dial at 107.1 FM, and make sure to tune in to SSZF2026 panel moderator Liz Mason’s show, Now We’re Both Awake, 6-9 a.m. each Wednesday. For more information, visit chirpradio.org
Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center and their partners are the frontline responders to reports of child sexual abuse in Chicago. They are only non-profit in the city that coordinates the work of child protection and law enforcement professionals, family advocates, and mental health clinicians under one roof. ChicagoCAC’s programs work collaboratively, reducing trauma, removing barriers, and ensuring that the children and families we serve receive the essential services they need in one place — helping them restore hope and begin their healing journey. Our SSZF2026 typewriter poet, the Mysterious Liz Baudler, is an Education Specialist at ChicagoCAC. For more information, visit ChicagoCAC.org
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026, presented by Zine Club Chicago, will take place at 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, August 15 at the Richard J. Daley branch of the Chicago Public Library, 3400 S. Halsted St. in Bridgeport. All ages! Free!
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026 is just ONE WEEK AWAY!! We’re so excited to host 24 amazing zinemakers, collectives, and distros at our fest next Saturday. Check out our full list of tablers!
We’ll keep rolling out individual exhibitor profiles on Instagram right up until fest day, so keep watching that space: @zineclubchicago
See y’all very soon on the South Side!
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026, which is presented by Zine Club Chicago, will be held at 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2026 at the Richard J. Daley branch of the Chicago Public Library, 3400 S. Halsted St. in #Bridgeport. Free! All ages!
Thank you to zinemaker Lucinda J. Williams (Bookshelf Voyeur) for her generous sponsorship of all our programming this year. Shoutout to the wonderful folks at Tangible Books, as well, for hosting our workshop and panel discussion. We appreciate all of the amazing artists who will be presenting programming – go visit their tables at the fest, too!
All programming takes place on Saturday, August 15 in Bridgeport, Chicago.
Local poet and raconteur Liz Baudler and their clacky companion Gertrude will be creating poems on the spot inspired by your prompts! Find their table in the Main Area of the library.
Liz Baudler typewritered poems on command for a year and half at Chicago’s wndr museum and in that time learned to crave richness of sudden inspiration. They are not cool enough for a manual typewriter, and appreciates getting to fix their mistakes, so electric it is, baby! Prefers cat poems to dog poems.
12 p.m., Tangible Books The Process is the Point: A Neuro-Friendly Zine Workshop Co-facilitated by Keidra Chaney and Miriam Bhimani
Zines don’t have to be polished and perfect or even linear. They can be educational, experimental, personal — anything you want them to be! That’s part of what makes them such a great way to explore topics like disability, mental health, neurodivergence (ADHD/Autism/PTSD), or just explaining how our brains work.
Keidra Chaney (Wild Ramp Publishing) and Miriam Bhimani (The FOIA Bakery) have a conversation about the creative processes behind their disability-focused zines. Keidra talks about how getting diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood informed her zine making and Miriam talks about the process of creating advocacy zine Be The Goose.
We’ll share our own zines and those from other zinesters we admire and we’ll invite people to think about their own process of making. We’ll end with an optional, low-pressure zine-making activity. Come make something, doodle, collage, or just hang out.
Miriam Bhimani (@foiabakery) asks a lot of questions. She listens to stories, reads books, and goes for walks when it becomes overwhelming. Making meaning and making art go hand in hand but Miriam also files Freedom of Information Act requests to help her understand the world in which she lives.
Miriam takes whimsy very seriously.
Miriam has taught in Detroit Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools and New York Public Schools. She currently works with schools and libraries in her day to day.
Keidra Chaney runs Wild Ramp Publishing, a Chicago-based micro-press dedicated to zines and chapbooks about fandom, pop culture, disability, and identity. It serves as a home for projects that uplift marginalized voices and celebrate fan communities. Wild Ramp reinvests its sales into microgrants that support zinesters and DIY creators in Chicago and beyond.
1:30 p.m., Tangible Books More Than a Youth Culture: Building a Sustainable Life in DIY Moderated by Liz Mason Panelists: Andrea Pearson, Jackie Wolk, Kurt
Zine-making and distribution is immensely rewarding, but balancing it with the responsibilities we encounter in our lives presents challenges in staying inspired over the long haul. Liz Mason talks with publishers Andrea Pearson (No Pants Revolution, Aquatic Panda Distro, Jackie Wolk (Language Is An Exchange), and Kurt (Room Tone) about building a sustainable experience in DIY publishing and distribution.
Liz Mason has been self-publishing zines since the 1990s with titles like Caboose and Cul-de-sac, co-runs Sugar Hijinx Perzine Distro, co-produces the podcast Rough Draft with Keidra and Liz, and DJs at CHIRP Radio. She left managing Chicago’s zine staple Quimby’s Bookstore to pursue a Masters degree at Chicago State University in Information Science with a specialization in Archives and Records Management.
Jackie Wolk is a garden-variety neurotic, frugalista, aging hipster, and navel-gazer. Quick to repudiate her East Coast upbringing, she has been waking up in the great city of Chicago to draw and write for over 35 years. She offers her mini comics as an affordable way to access little works of art and to connect in both linear and random ways.
Andrea Pearson runs Aquatic Panda Distro, a small press comic and art zine distributor started by Chicago cartoonist Andrea Pearson in 2023. Aquatic Panda’s mission is to highlight artists of color as well as bring artists of all kinds together through comic and art anthologies and meetups. We sell comics and zines on a range of topics and have a little something for everyone.
Kurt has been publishing Room Tone since 2024 but started doing zines in the ‘90s when his dad helped him use the photocopier at his work. Since 2005 he’s written reviews, interviewed folks, written articles, and created podcasts for Razorcake, a non-profit punk zine dedicated to DIY punk and independent culture.
Team up with a zine pal (or make a new one!) and horrify concerned adults everywhere by tag-team racing with our giant pair of scissors! (Just kidding, our oversized scissors are safe to trot.)
Protean artist and yogini Heather Andhercats Anacker will lead us in a sequence of gentle movements inspired by zine culture to close out our fest on an uplifting note. No previous qigong experience necessary!
Heather Andhercats Anacker is a zinester, artist, and sewing instructor. She has been making and selling zines for the past decade. Topics covered vary wildly, but usually have a strong DIY ethos. She has the accolade of being on the Antiquated Future zine bestseller list in 2024 and 2025, and is honored to have her zines in awesome independent bookstores across the country. Heather currently lives in Kansas City with her par’Mach’kai, two cats, and a lot of plants. She used to live in Chicago, and misses it dearly.
Afterparty details! Once South Side Zine Fest + Carnival wraps, we’ll be heading to Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar, 960 W. 31 St. (0.6 mile away from the library), to keep the fun going! Clown around with us from 5 p.m. until ?? The bar offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages with a laidback neighborhood hangout vibe. Food is available at Kimski next door. (Maria’s is a 21-and-older establishment.)
How to get to the fest: The Richard J. Daley branch of the Chicago Public Library is located at 3400 S. Halsted St. in the Bridgeport neighborhood. The library is at the corner of 34th St. and Halsted streets.
The library is on the #8 Halsted bus line (get off at 34th St.). The closest Red Line stop is Sox-35th (0.9 mile away).
Bicycle parking is available outside the library.
Metered street parking is available along Halsted Street, and you might find free parking on nearby side streets. (Make sure to check the street signs, though. Some side streets require a permit, and getting a parking ticket is no fun.)
Our workshop and panel discussion will take place at Tangible Books, 3326 S. Halsted St., which is located less than a block north of the library (0.1 mile away). If you need help getting over there, please let us know!
Accessibility information: The indoor and outdoor areas where South Side Zine Fest + Carnival will be held are accessible, and there are accessible restrooms at the library. Our fest is a mask-supportive environment. There will be masks on hand for folks who want to wear one.
If you have specific accessibility needs, please get in touch with us at zineclubchicago@gmail.com
What to bring to South Side Zine Fest + Carnival (if you choose):
Zines to trade (your own or your faves by other zinemakers)
Small bills if you’ll be shopping for zines (some of our vendors may be able to make change and/or accept digital options)
A refillable water bottle (stay hydrated, friends!)
Snacks! There are also several restaurants nearby if you get hungry
Sunscreen + bug spray if you’ll be participating in our outdoor activities
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026 will be held at 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2026 at the Richard J. Daley branch of the Chicago Public Library. Free! All ages!
Image description: A colorful flyer featuring the image of a carnival clown game and this text: “South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026 AFTERPARTY!; Clown around with us after the fest wraps!: 5 p.m. – ?? Saturday, August 15; Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar, 960 W 31st St, Bridgeport; More info at zineclubchicago.com”
Just like last time, Chicago-based pop-up perzine distro Sugar Hijinx will have their zine shop open from 12 to 3 p.m., followed by Zine Club Chicago’s free zinemaking hangout from 3 to 5 p.m.
Shout out to Danielle and Ryan, the owners of Ridman’s, who hosted Zine Club Chicago and the first Sugar Hijinx pop-up event back in March! We are so excited to be back there, at a woman & black-owned coffee shop at the intersection of Uptown, Andersonville & Ravenswood.
Want just the facts? Sunday, July 26th Sugar Hijinx tabling noon-3 Zine Club Chicago meetup 3-5pm Ridman’s Coffee is at 4758 N. Clark St.
Sugar Hijinx specializes in perzines, with a selection is curated by Liz Mason (Caboose) and Cynthia E. Hanifin (Zine Club Chicago).
Zine Club Chicago is thrilled to present the 2nd annual South Side Zine Fest + Carnival! This year, we’re bringing a carnival vibe to our annual celebration of zine community on the South Side of Chicago. All are welcome to join us for zine-themed carnival activities for folks of all ages, artist-led programming, stations for zine and button making, and more, along with community-focused tabling by two dozen local zine collectives, distros, and creators.
SSZF2026 highlights include programming curated by Keidra Chaney (Wild Ramp Publishing) and Liz Mason (Caboose, Sugar Hijinx), Zinester Qigong with Heather Anacker (Heather Andhercats), typewriter poetry with the Mysterious Liz Baudler, and more!
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival is presented by Zine Club Chicago. Jamie Kadas (Curvy Girl Comics) and Cynthia E. Hanifin (Zine Club Chicago producer/founder), both native South Siders, are the fest’s volunteer co-organizers. This free community event is made possible with support from the Richard J. Daley branch of the Chicago Public library and individual contributions from Zine Club Chicago members.
The South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026 logo was designed by Jamie Kadas, with inspiration from the 2025 logo designed by Aim Ren Beland.
Image description: A blue, red, and yellow flyer featuring the South Side Zine Fest + Carnival and Zine Club Chicago logos and this text: “Join us for the 2nd annual South Side Zine Fest + Carnival!; Presented by Zine Club Chicago; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, August 15; Richard J. Daley branch, Chicago Public Library, 3400 S. Halsted St., Bridgeport; Find more information on zineclubchicago.com; Community workshops + programming; zine collectives + distros + artists; zine making + button making stations; zine-themed carnival activities; Free! All ages”
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026 applicants, check your email! We’ve let everyone know if they have received a table or been placed on the waitlist.
We appreciate every applicant’s interest in our fest and the time you took to complete your application. We received many more applications than we have spots to offer. In our decision-making process, we prioritized zinemakers, distros, and collectives that have strong ties to the South Side of Chicago and/or make significant contributions to their communities.
If you didn’t receive a table spot this year, we hope you’ll consider attending the fest! There will be many opportunities to engage with other zinemakers, including a zine swap, a raffle (with prizes!), a panel discussion and workshop, all-day zinemaking, pen pal station, and more.
Tablers, we can’t wait to see you at the fest! Please make sure to confirm your spot via email by July 10. We’ll send out more information about day-of-fest logistics as we get closer to the event.
If you’ve been placed on the waitlist, we’ll notify you via email if a spot opens up. We are not able to let you know your position on the waitlist.
The 2nd annual South Side Zine Fest + Carnival presented by Zine Club Chicago will be held 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2026 at the Richard J. Daley Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 3400 S. Halsted St. in Bridgeport. Admission is free!
South Side Zine Fest is presented by Zine Club Chicago. Jamie Kadas (Curvy Girl Comics) and Cynthia E. Hanifin (Zine Club Chicago producer), both native South Siders, are the fest’s volunteer co-organizers. This free community event is made possible with support from the Richard J. Daley Branch of the Chicago Public Library and individual donations from Zine Club Chicago members.
The application to table at the 2nd annual South Side Zine Fest + Carnival will open on June 15! Find it here: tinyurl.com/ApplySSZF2026
Applications will be accepted 11 a.m. CT Monday, June 15 through 11 p.m. CT Sunday, June 21, 2026. Only fully completed applications will be considered. In our decision-making process, we will be prioritizing zinemakers, distros, and collectives that have strong ties to the South Side of Chicago and/or make significant contributions to their communities.
We are asking tablers to make sure that at least 75% of your items will be zines. Work made using generative artificial intelligence (AI) is not welcome at our fest.
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival will be held at 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2026 at the Richard J. Daley Branch of the Chicago Public Library, 3400 S. Halsted St. in Bridgeport, Chicago IL 60608. Admission is free!
Our tables are 6 feet long. Each tabler will be offered a 3-foot table space. There is no cost to vend; however, we are asking each tabler to donate $5 worth of zines to be given away as part of our free raffle for festgoers.
Please note that we are a very small fest! We appreciate your understanding that we will not be able to offer a table to everyone who applies. We will be hosting a zine swap and encouraging trading at the fest, so we hope you’ll join us even if you’re not tabling.
We will notify all applicants as to whether they’ve been accepted or waitlisted by 11 p.m. CT Monday, July 6, 2026. All applicants who are offered a table must confirm their registration by 11 p.m. CT July 10, 2026, so please keep an eye on your email.
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival is presented by Zine Club Chicago. Jamie Kadas (Curvy Girl Comics) and Cynthia E. Hanifin (Zine Club Chicago producer/founder), both native South Siders, are the fest’s volunteer co-organizers. This free community event is made possible by support from the Richard J. Daley Branch of the Chicago Public Library and individual donations from Zine Club Chicago members.
The South Side Zine Fest + Carnival 2026 logo was designed by Jamie Kadas, with inspiration from the 2025 logo created by Aim Ren Beland.
SAVE THE DATE! South Side Zine Fest returns this summer with even more fun! This year, Zine Club Chicago is bringing a carnival vibe to our annual celebration of zine community on the South Side of Chicago.
We’re planning some amazing workshops, programming, and zine-themed carnival activities, along with community-focused tabling by local zine distros and artists, stations for zine- and button-making, and more. Free! All ages!
South Side Zine Fest + Carnival will be held at 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2026 at the Richard J. Daley branch of the Chicago Public Library, 3400 S. Halsted St. in Bridgeport. More info coming soon!
Zine Club Chicago 