Happy 414 Day from QWERTYFEST MKE!

QWERTYFEST MKE was founded by two Milwaukee writers (Tea Krulos and Molly Snyder) who love Milwaukee and the many things this city has to offer.

Sure, like most cities, Milwaukee has big problems to solve. But it is also a City of Innovation and celebrating that is what QF is all about. Milwaukeean Christopher Latham Sholes invented the typewriter and the QWERTY keyboard configuration at the Kleinsteuber Machine Shop, which was located downtown, just around the corner from Turner Hall, where our QWERTYFEST opening night party will take place. Sholes changed the world with his invention. 

In addition to the typewriter, Milwaukee is home to other important inventions-- the first stereo headphones (created at Koss), the answering machine, and even tea bags were all made in Milwaukee first, not to mention companies innovative in their fields like Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls, Milwaukee Tool, and many others. 

That innovation continues today. We're thrilled to work with new companies like DarkFusion Systems, who are making mechanical keyboards here in Milwaukee, and we're proud to say that the money we are raising for QF mostly stays in Milwaukee pockets– we are using it to rent local venue spaces; to pay local writers, artists, musicians, and other performers; to create programming that encourages people to write, create, and learn about local history and resources. 

Additionally, our publication QWERTY Quarterly features poetry, fiction, articles, games, and artwork by Milwaukee creators. Our articles have looked at the lives of writers with Milwaukee connections that have contributed to literature, like horror writer Robert Bloch and poet Lorine Niedecker, as well as features on contemporary creators. 

To sum up, QWERTYFEST MKE is a celebration of Milwaukee. If you’d like to support our mission, here’s a couple ways you can do that and get something in return: 

-Contribute to our fundraiser to make QF 24 happen. Pledge levels include great perks like QF tickets, merch, a QQ subscription, and more. Sharing this link also helps:
www.indiegogo.com/projects/qwertyfest-mke-2024 

-We think QQ is a great read anywhere in the world. You can find single issues or a four issue subscription at our Etsy store: QWERTYQuarterly - Etsy

Happy Milwaukee Day to a Great City on a Great Lake!