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.