This Halloween weekend, Foo Foo Fest is introducing something uniquely hands-on to the fall calendar: the HalloZine Festival, presented by 309 Punk Project. Held October 30 and 31 at the Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center, the two-day celebration highlights the art of zine-making—offering a space to create, share, and rediscover the joy of print in a digital-first world.
A zine—short for “magazine”—is a small, self-published booklet or pamphlet, often made with simple tools like a copy machine, glue stick, and scissors. As Lauren Anzaldo, Special Projects Coordinator of 309 Punk Project, explains, “A zine is a self-published booklet or brochure. Some folks do it as a calling card for an organization or project, but it’s a self-published way to get info out.”
These little works of art can be as straightforward as a single folded sheet of paper or as intricate as a hand-designed mini-magazine. Regardless, they’re all tactile, personal, and endlessly creative. “They can be cute, artsy, or informative, and they’re all really unique,” Lauren says. “Some folks even handwrite or hand-design them with cutouts and collages.”
At HalloZine, guests will find themselves immersed in every facet of zine culture. A market of around 20 vendors will feature artists, small businesses, and DIY creatives selling and sharing zines, prints, T-shirts, and other handmade goods. But the heart of the festival is the hands-on experience with hands-on maker stations dispersed throughout the venue that invite visitors to sit down and craft their own zine, design a button, or experiment with block printing.
Playful Halloween imagery—ghosts, Frankensteins, and other seasonal designs—adds to the spirit, creating a one-of-a-kind creative playground. “It’s really one-of-a-kind and unique,” Lauren adds. “You won’t find it anywhere else, and you won’t see it later.”
Beyond the maker spaces and market, HalloZine celebrates the history and evolution of zines. Short films will screen throughout the festival, highlighting the people who have shaped zine culture over the decades. In addition, three acclaimed speakers anchor the lineup: Julia Gorton, one of the earliest zine makers in the United States during the late 1970s; Alex Wrekk, a who has been active in the zine scene since the 1990s; and Julia Arredondo, a contemporary artist and publisher continuing the tradition today. Together, their talks will trace the arc of zine-making from its punk-era roots to its modern-day revival.
“Zines are really popular right now,” Lauren notes, adding that younger generations in particular are drawn to the analog feel of these handmade creations. “There’s kind of a frustration with everything being digitized by the younger generation. They want things they can touch and hold—that analog, printed, tangible experience. Teens and young adults are really into the tactile, aesthetic side of it. We thought this was the right time to bring it to Pensacola, where zines are thriving and there’s so much energy around creating things with your own hands.”
HalloZine Festival is free, family-friendly, and open to all ages. The celebration culminates on Halloween with a ticketed costume party at The Handlebar, where adult-only guests can enjoy an all-out Halloween bash. Tickets are on sale now at thehandlebar850.com.