Klipsun’s release party bridges gap between magazine and campus
Editor-in-Chief Jase Picanso, right, and Managing Editor Thalia Coulter hold up the Winter 2025 edition of the Klipsun magazine outside the Underground Coffeehouse in Bellingham, Wash., on Jan. 10, 2025. // Photo courtesy of Jase Picanso
Students could enjoy food, music provided by KUGS and get a first look at the “surreal” edition
Story by Jenna Millikan
“Let’s get a picture together!” Someone shouts from across the worn-in couches of the Underground Coffee House, the Viking Union’s coziest event space.
The group of friends gather for the photo, pressing their faces together and lifting up the glossy cover of the Winter 2025 edition of the Klipsun. Other partygoers buzz around them, chatting, snacking and carrying their own copy of Western’s quarterly magazine.
While they publish a free print copy every quarter, unlike recent issues students could grab a copy before it hit Western’s halls. On Friday, Jan. 10, the magazine threw a release party for its newest issue with food, drink and music provided by DJs from the campus radio KUGS.
The release party was the idea of Editor-in-Chief, Jase Picanso, who wanted to bridge the gap between campus and the magazine.
“The release party gave people the opportunity to pick up the new edition, meet the talented staff and writers behind it, and feel more involved with what we’re doing,” Picanso said via email. “Klipsun is open to everyone on campus, and I wanted this event to reflect that our publication is here to foster community by telling community stories.”
This quarter’s magazine hosts 15 print pieces and four online exclusives, all under the theme “surreal.” Each article offers bizarre, dreamlike themes that create a feeling of surrealism. Stories range from reconnecting family members to unconventional doll makers.
“I wanted a theme that could mean something different to everyone. ‘Surreal’ felt like the perfect word for that,” Picanso said via email. “It captures how many of us feel about the world right now — where things can seem so unbelievable they almost don’t feel real. But it’s also about finding the extraordinary in everyday life and experiences.
Copies of the newest addition are available for free around campus. However, people who attended the party got a chance to talk with the staff, partake in the provided food and drink, and potentially get a first peek at their bylines.
“I am grateful to have collaborated with our talented staff and writers, helping to shape their stories, and seeing everything come together in the final printed edition,” Picanso said via email. “The opportunity to lead such a creative and dedicated team is something I will always treasure.”
