Calling all authors, zinesters, artists, punks, activists and more! Chattanooga Public Library’s 4th Floor Makerspace presents the 9th Annual Zine Fest on Saturday, May 30th, 2026, from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. This free event is open to all ages and showcases a wide range of independent zine/book makers, artists and creators with hand-on workshops and activities throughout the day.
What is a zine? A zine (pronounced ZEEN) is an independently made magazine-like publication that can include short stories, nonfiction prose, poetry, artwork, found objects or any other type of creative material that an author wants to communicate in print. Dating back to the early 20th century, zines have always been a way for people to express their ideas, beliefs and creativity outside of mainstream, commercial publications. For a more detailed history of zines, check out this 2016 Mental Floss article.
The Library’s Zine Fest was first held in 2014 to celebrate the debut of the 4th Floor Makerspace’s Zine Library, and since then, it has brought many authors and artists to Chattanooga. This year, attendees can expect workshops on screenprinting, printmaking, papermaking, photocopier art and more, plus over 30 local and regional zinesters who will be selling zines and offering readings and discussions throughout the day. The full schedule of events will be posted closer to ZineFest 2026.
If you are interested in tabling at ZineFest, please fill out this form. For other questions regarding ZineFest, please contact ChattanoogaZineFest@chattanooga.gov.
The 4th Floor Makerspace features interactive stations that include a fiber art studio, 3D printing, laser etching and more. These stations are available by appointment or by walk-ins during the Library’s regular operating hours, but they will be unavailable during Zine Fest on May 30th, 2026.