East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Festival Celebrates Indie Media

East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Festival Celebrates Indie Media

PHOTO BY REBECCA LAU

For the ninth year running, local zinesters have a reason to party.

The zine is the ultimate emblem of DIY culture. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a zine —short for magazine or fanzine — is a small-circulation, self-published magazine, and can cover any topic from intersectional feminism to the most niche of fandoms.

In 2010, two Bay Area writers, Tomas Moniz and MK Chavez, decided it was time for the East Bay to celebrate its indie media community. Modeled on the work of zinesters in San Francisco and Portland, the East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Festival was born (originally called the East Bay Alternative Press Book Fair). Tables went quickly, and the inaugural festival at Berkeley City College was a success.

In 2012, the organizers teamed up with the Rock Paper Scissors Collective, an Oakland Art Murmur and First Friday pioneer, and in 2014, they expanded to two floors. In its ninth year, EBABZ returns to Oakland’s Omni Commons with over 70 different vendors. Browse zines, art, jewelry, books, and more from local creators (insider tip: Zines and artwork make for unique holiday gifts). Priority was given to QTPOC vendors, and the lineup this year includes Intersex Zines and Brown Recluse Zine Distro.

Ninth annual East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Festival, Sat., Dec. 8, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Omni Commons, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland, EBABZFest.com.

Faces of the East Bay