Hard Launch: Far Afield’s Debut Weekend
A first look at the people, places, and creative energy behind Far Afield.
September 8, 2026 — Written by Andie kernTwo events. Seven local artists. 32 copies pre-sold. Countless conversations. A whole lot of creative energy.Here’s a look back at our first weekend out in the wild.
Our debut weekend brought the magazine into the community in exactly the way we hoped: through conversation, creativity, collaboration, and a whole lot of good energy. Across two events, we connected with new and familiar faces, shared what Far Afield is all about, and got to celebrate the creative community that made this first issue possible.
Our debut weekend was more than a launch, it was our first real chance to present the magazine to the people and celebrate the creative community that inspired it. From our First Friday Launch Party at Bookmarx to our Open Mic Social at Q Enoteca, we spent the weekend doing what we hope Far Afield will always do: bringing people together, making space for local creativity, and starting conversations worth having.
Andie and Eve at the Far Afield table inside Bookmarx for the First Friday Launch Party.
First Friday Launch Party at Bookmarx Downtown
We kicked things off at Bookmarx on Friday, September 4th, with our First Friday Launch Party. It was an exciting first chance to put Far Afield out into the world. We were given the perfect opportunity to talk about the magazine, meet fellow creatives, and connect with people who have been cheering us on from the beginning, as well as meeting plenty of new faces discovering us for the first time.
Bookmarx graciously hosted us in their newly expanded space where we shared the floor with their featured First Friday Artist: a painter named Charlie Gessner. We’re so grateful to have seen so many previous and potential submitters, and given the opportunity to gab about our humble publication.
Open Mic Social at Q Enoteca on Historic C-Street
Then, on Sunday, September 6th, we gathered at Q Enoteca for our Open Mic Social, bringing together artists, makers, performers, and community members for an evening centered around creative expression and connection. We would like to give a big thank you to James McShane, one of our own on the reading and production team and a two-time contributor to the magazine, for stepping up to emcee for us. James lent the perfect energy to the event, wherein several members of our creative community were encouraged to step up and share their work with everyone in attendance. Our featured readers; John King, James McShane, Eve Peregrine, and myself got the ball rolling while our friends and peers showed up to pour a little of themselves out on the Q’s stage. Thank you to everyone who showed up and read something, and those who came out in support or to just do some old fashioned elbow rubbing.
One of the other highlights was our community artist table, featuring handmade work from seven local artists who contributed or donated pieces to help benefit the event and the magazine. Their generosity and creativity helped make the evening feel like a true reflection of the community Far Afield was created to celebrate. We would like to thank the contributing artists; Vicki Barclay, Christiano Bellotti, Hannah Duckworth, Emily Ever, Ayanami Khan-Taylor, Crystallena Price, & Bri Shatto. Their work was truly impressive when spread out together on our artist table, and we appreciate their contribution to the event.
A photo of the Community Artist Table, with works by Vicki Barclay, Christiano Bellotti, Hannah Duckworth, Emily Ever, Ayanami Khan-Taylor, Crystallena Price, & Bri Shatto.
We Couldn’t Do It Alone
Only two days on the scene officially and the response so far has been incredible: 32 copies of the magazine have already been pre-sold. Every sale, conversation, contribution, and introduction means something to us as we take these first steps. Most of all, we're grateful for everyone who showed up, shared their work, bought a magazine, struck up a conversation, donated, or simply stopped by to take a look. Getting to engage with both new and familiar members of our creative community reminded us exactly why we wanted to make Far Afield in the first place. We are deeply honored to see the faith our community has in us and what we’re doing, and we couldn’t be prouder to represent our friends and neighbors through this project. Both Eve and I were teary eyed when we were tallying up the sales and cleaning up the spreadsheets following both events. We’re truly starstruck by the support we feel from all of you, our readers and peers.
Next Steps for the Magazine
This is only the beginning. Keep watching for more community events, special projects, and other Far Afield happenings. We're currently anticipating the Summer Issue being in hand and ready for distribution by the end of September, and we can't wait to finally get it out and into the world. You can preorder your copy of Issue No. 02 on our website, or swing by Bookmarx and pick it up from their shelves when it’s available at the end of the month.
Thanks for being part of the launch weekend, and for coming along with us as we go beyond the fence line.