West Kendall Zine Fest: Read Indie Publications on a Manmade Beach

A layer of pride lies buried deep beneath the surface of Kendall residents. At times, Kendall dwellers feel isolated and have to “bust a mission” to get to some of Miami’s more happening areas and events. But there are also plenty of businesses and people looking to elevate the area and showcase the wealth of talent in Kendall’s kooky corners.

This Sunday, April 16, Venezuelan comfort-food outlet Milly’s Empanada Factory will host the inaugural West Kendall Zine Fest. A lineup of more than 30 vendors includes local artists, independent publishers, and print media featuring works by Jacuzzi Boys’ Gabriel Alcala, Miami Zine Machine, Dale Zine, and many others.

Jose Atencio, owner of Milly’s Empanada Factory, explains the inspiration for the fest. “Our restaurant works as a community meetup and concentrates on creating community experiences that are anchored by food," he says. "We got together with three people who started out as customers who are now friends that include Ana Parra [@sifriiina], Andre Alvarez [@goochsoup], and Bryan Herrero [@bryanherrero] to make this fest happen. We want to activate the community and let people know that we have great things coming out of Kendall. We out here! There is amazing work that is coming from this part of town.”

The festival will be divided into three areas, including the fest’s manmade beach experience — “Ken-DALE Playa” — a community project with palm trees donated by local nursery Casa Planta. Attendees can get down at la playa with the sounds of Dani Champagne, Lokahontas, and Origami.

“We’re treating this as a three-day festival," Atencio jokes, "except it’s one day out in a Kendall parking lot.”

The West Kendall Zine Fest is giving everyone a chance to be a part of its public zine installation and encourages people to show their work. To have your zine showcased, drop your DIY publications off at Milly’s Empanada Factory, located at 13911 SW 66th St. Today is the deadline, but if you bring your zine the day of the fest, Atencio says they will gladly include it in the installation.

Zines are independently published works in small circulation that come in a variety of formats and can cover any topic that you’re passionate about. First-time creators, don't fret: Milly's Empanada Factory's Instagram page shows you how to create them.

Support local artists and head to Milly’s Empanada Factory before or after your Easter egg hunt. You don’t want to miss this.

West Kendall Zine Fest
Noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 16, at Milly’s Empanada Factory, 13911 SW 66th St., Miami; 305-791-1848; millysfactory.com. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.