Mojave Zine Fest coming to Twentynine Palms and they are seeking your submissions

On May 15 and 16, Corner 62 in Twentynine Palms will host the inaugural Mojave Zine Fest. Shortened from fanzine, or fan magazine, a zine is a handmade, small-batch DIY publication booklet. Subjects can range from broad to niche, and include media elements such as literature, comics, photography, and more. Also sponsored by Hi Desert Times and Jackrabbit Journal, the two-day festival will celebrate all things zine, with a marketplace, readings, and workshops dedicated to the art form.

Mojave Zine Fest was founded by desert dwellers, writers, and artists Natalie Raymond and Rita Lilly. Raymond explained that the inspiration for Mojave Zine Fest came from the desire to build connections and celebrate analog media as an outlet, especially in a world continually embedded with technology.

“There has been this kind of rebellion happening with younger people going to physical media, going to Zines, going to offline things because they have been so inundated with online life, with social media, and now with AI content that is really sort of the opposite of humanity. There has been a real push back towards the analog, which has real human feeling to it and has human flaws. Zines are really having a resurgence because of that desire.”

Raymond and Lilly are accepting zine submissions through February 14 for this year’s festival. In addition to zines for display or sale, they are also open to ideas for panels, workshops, and other events, particularly those submitted by local creatives.

“We would particularly love it if some more locals submit. We are having a lot of people from out of town submit, so we would love to see some locals. We know that they’re here because there is a big zine community in the Hi-Desert.”

While zine topics can be broad, the festival will not accept anything that qualifies as hate speech or anything generated by the use of artificial intelligence, including content, layout, text, or images.

As Lilly notes, Mojave Zine Fest was created to be a celebration of not only art, but also the creative community of the Hi-Desert.

“We need to build community. Artists are always a great community, and we need to welcome more people in to express themselves, whether it is through drawing or through word. Zines are a wonderful open platform for anyone to express themselves, and the community building that can happen with that is invaluable right now. You just need a piece of paper. With a piece of paper and a pen, you can make a zine.”

Mojave Zine Fest will be held May 15 and 16 at Corner 62, located at 73552 Twentynine Palms Highway in Twentynine Palms.

Submissions are open through February 14. You can submit your zine here.