Info for Accepted Tablers
Congratulations zinester—you’re in!
Your application to KC Zine Con #5 has been accepted, and we look forward to seeing you on Saturday, August 31! Whether you’re a first-time zinester, or an old pro, we can’t wait to see you at this year’s fest. It’s our 5th Birthday and we’re ready to PARTY! Be sure to bookmark this page: it’ll be updated with more-and-more information about tabling as we get closer to August 31st!
Click here to view a list of all the exhibitors
Click here to download a table map
Getting Set Up
Zinester Preview Hour: Like in previous years, tablers can start setting up at 9am. However, the fest will not begin until 11am. From 9:45 until 10:45am, we’ll be having Zinester Preview hour featuring coffee and light snacks, a small 5th anniversary celebration, and an optional guided stretch. You can use this time to make trades with your fellow zinesters before the chaos of the festival. Prefer to sleep in? As long as your table is set up by 11am, you’ll be good-to-go!
Easy-Set-Up Process: When you get to the venue, you can go straight to your table: no check-in necessary! (You can find your table number on the exhibitor listing!) Your tabler packet will be waiting for you on your table. Volunteers will still be on-hand to help you locate your table if you need help finding it.
Running late? Please notify the organizers via our text hotline at 515-808-2990. If you text us that you are running late, your table will be held. When you text us, please tell us your name and table number, so we know who we’re talking to! If you are not set up by 11am and have not contacted us, your table will be given away to someone on the wait list!
Morning Stretch: At 10:30am, organizer Jess Hogan will be leading a light stretch that you can participate in if you would like. She will lead the stretch over the microphone, so you can participate wherever you happen to be in the exhibitor hall. Jess is a certified yoga teacher.
Table Sizes: A Half-Size Table is 3′ wide and comes with one chair. A Full-Size Table is 6′ wide and comes with two chairs. In order to keep the tabling rows comfortable, accessible, and safe for everyone, we are unable to provide extra chairs. If you need special accommodations, such as a seat at the end of a row, please let us know in your application so we can make sure you are taken care of! Can’t remember what table size you’ve been accepted as? Check your Acceptance Email!
Text Hotline: We have a text hotline for tablers at 515-808-2990. This hotline should be used for text messages only, and make sure to tell us your name and table number when you text. 🙂 You can use it to let an organizer know you need assistance, or to request a table-sitter.
Table Sitters: Text the hotline to request a table-sitter. Table-sitters can watch your table for up to 30 minutes at a time, so you can grab a bite, use the restroom, or shop. Please note: we only have a limited number of volunteers who are able to be table-sitters, so this service is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. You can also ask the tablers sitting next to you if they can watch your table — for quick trips to the restroom or snack room, this might be your best bet!
Wifi
Server: UMKCWPA
username: umkc-visitor
password: 826DayOfTheRoos
Accessibility
We are so glad that the big day is almost here! We’ve done our best to make KCZC an accessible space to all. The event is in a wheelchair-accessible space. There will be a quiet room on site. The venue is accessible by foot, bicylce, and public transportation. Read more about our fest’s accessibility here. Please take time to review, as well as the safer space policy, and let us know if you see anything off at the fest.
Restrooms
Bathrooms with and without urinals are located outside the South Entrance, in the lobby. An additional gender-neutral bathroom is located on Level 1 of the Student Success Center, around the corner from the stairs and elevators.
Nursing Room
Breastfeeding parents may utilize any space in the building, however, a private lactation room is located on Level 1, Room 114, next to the gender-neutral bathroom.
Food + Drinks
Tablers and volunteers get free light snacks and coffee in the tabler lounge. We will have: fruit tray (gluten free + vegan + nut free), blueberry muffins (nut free), chocolate muffins (nut free), pretzels (vegan + nut free), funfetti birthday cake! (vegan + nut free), bagels (nut free). Please feel free to bring your own snacks if you would like something different. We also recommend bringing a water bottle. Water fountains are located around Pierson Auditorium and there will be water dispensers in the tabler lounge. (Can’t find one? A volunteer will help!) Food options located a short walk/drive away include: Crow’s Coffee, Sahara, Pizza 51, and Kin Lin.
Chairs + Seating
Extra chairs are located around the perimeter of the vendor’s hall so you can rest while zine-shopping. Tablers are advised to please leave these chairs for guests—as a reminder, only 2 chairs are allowed per table so we can keep table rows accessible and comfortable for everyone.
Sound Levels + Quiet Space
There will be DJs performing live music sets during the fest. We have set a strict volume limit in order to make the festival more accessible to those with auditory conditions. Additionally the Craft Room in Workshop Space C is a designated Quiet Room that you can use to relax in if you are feeling overwhelmed.
Adult Content
Our first workshop of the day is about making zines for/by kids, so we expect there to be a lot of young zinesters in the house early in the day! This is a friendly reminder that if you’ve got explicit adult content on your table, to please keep it on the down-low/out of reach of the youngsters.
Info for New Zinesters
Will this be your first fest? Over the past 4 conventions, we’ve noticed a few common threads between our most successful tablers. Here are our tips: Have at least 20 copies of each title available. Be open to trading zines with your fellow tablers (it’s the best way to make new friends at the fest!) Price your work for accessibility: consider pricing some or all of your zines at $5 or less. Get a Square reader so you can accept card payments. Bring a water bottle or a travel mug, as well snacks or cash for the vending machine. Decorate your table with a table cloth and signage. Have fun! This article about Self Care for Zinesters by Maranda Elizabeth has some great tips for new-and-old zinesters alike!
Check out this video to learn how to access the exhibit hall on UMKC campus:
Safer Spaces Policy
KC Zine Con strives to be a safer space free from oppressive and harmful behaviors. In light of the events that happened on the UMKC campus this Spring, we are seeking feedback from trans students and trans community members to guide us in the right direction towards helping KC Zine Con be a safer space. If you are an individual who was directly impacted by this event and would like to share your perspectives, we can be reached at kczinecon [at] gmail [dot] com. You can also read our statement about our decision to remain on campus this year by clicking here.
