Local feminist and environmentalist publication Cockroach zine will be hosting a zine fair on Sept. 20-21 at Frame Arts Warehouse.

Cockroach zine was created by Meg Crane, when she found a lack of lighthearted feminist magazines in Canada.

“Some of the issues covered are pretty serious, difficult things, but I try to put a positive spin on it,” she says.

For example, in a previous issue’s article about a lack of clean drinking water in northern communities, there was a focus on the positive actions being done to combat the issue, and how people can make an impact.

The zine publishes every other month, and each issue follows a specific theme; past themes include water, sex, religion, and journeys. The next issue—coming out Oct. 1 in stores, or Sept. 27 at Etsy’s Made in Canada sale—is themed “disguises.”

You can find a little bit of everything inside the zine, from writing, to artwork, to photography.

Zine not a ’zine

For the uninitiated, a zine is not to be confused with a magazine.

“It’s something you can put together yourself in as little or as much time as you want,” says Crane. “ You can sit down in the afternoon and create a zine, and you don’t really have to follow any format.”

Zines can contain all sorts of crafty items, from sequins to feathers, and Crane enjoys the creativity involved with putting one together.

At the zine fair, you can take part in a workshop about how to build a zine before you head to the zine-making stations, where there will be paint provided to help make your creation sparkle.

Live music performances are scheduled throughout the day, featuring artists such as Alannah Zeebeck, Claire Bones, and Elizabethan Teyems.

You can check out some other local zines by visiting the zine vendors, and try out some vegan baking.

The name “Cockroach zine” came from the fact that many people dislike environmentalists and feminists, in a similar way to how they dislike cockroaches, says Crane. “They aren’t going to get rid of them.”

There is a saying that if there is a nuclear attack, the only thing that will survive is the cockroach.

“I think feminist environmentalists are like that; no matter what you do, we’re always still going to be around, bugging people who don’t like us,” says Crane.

Tickets for Cockroach’s zine fair range from $6 to $12 and can be purchased at the door.