It’s been 10 years in the making — time to get weird and wired.
From noon to 5 p.m. this Saturday at St. Mary’s Center, Scranton, the Weird & Wired Punk Bazaar and Zine Expo will provide a platform to alternative artists and oddity lovers alike to share and socialize in a setting dedicated to eccentricity and expression.
The event will showcase a plethora of unique handmade art and crafts, vintage clothing and collectibles, zines, vinyls, taxidermy, independent publications, jewelry, toys, horror memorabilia and much more.
Allison Wolfe, feminist activist and co-founder of ’90s punk band Bratmobile, will give a talk on zines and the Riot Grrrl movement at 4:30 p.m., and DJ duo SaturBae will provide the beats throughout the day. The celebration of expression will continue at 8 p.m. with the New Wave After Party, hosted by DJ Quoth at The Bog in downtown Scranton.
Organizer and Scranton-based artist Jess Meoni created the Weird & Wired Punk Bazaar and Zine Expo in order to consolidate her other successful community events — the annual Scranton Zine Fest and triannual Not Another Punk Rock Flea Market — into one larger, all-encompassing event.
“Weird and Wired began as the Scranton Zine Fest back in 2011. After coordinating the punk rock flea markets and the Zine Fest last year, I saw how well those two events could fit together. It’s all a part of the same world,” Meoni said.
Meoni has been interested in the punk and zine culture since middle school. Having many musicians in her family and being one herself, her passions drew heavily toward the history of music and its societal influence.
“It really brings me joy to be able to give artists a platform for expression who otherwise may not have a platform. Overall, the goal is to see everybody sharing their work, expressing themselves and putting themselves out there,” Meoni said.
Admission is $2 online through Eventbrite or in person at the door the day of the event. For more information on Weird & Wired Punk Bazaar and Zine Expo, visit www.weirdandwiredscranton.com or the official Facebook event page.
