Chicago Zine Fest will be back on Saturday October 10th. We're thrilled to be back in the Winter Garden at the Harold Washington Library Center, thanks to the generosity of Chicago Public Library! 

We'll make announcements about registration dates and the curation process in March, so keep an eye on our social media and this website for more info.

Want to help make CZF 2026 happen? We're having a new organizers orientation on Weds March 18th at 7 pm Central. Register for this online meeting. We need your help to help make Chicago Zine Fest happen and we're excited to welcome in new organizers!! 

Thank you so much to everyone who attended, tabled, or volunteered at Chicago Zine Fest 2025! A special thanks to our sponsors who made it all possible. We are so incredibly grateful for the zine community!!

Please join us for ZINE PROM on Thursday June 5th!! ✨️ We'll be dancing, eating, flaunting, and making zines at Marz Brewing at 3630 S Iron St in Chicago. 💃 ✂️ We'll see you in McKinley Park!

Suggested donation: $5-$10 to keep Chicago Zine Fest flourishing! Come in your sparkling finest or come as you are. We'll be glad to have you!

We are excited to announce our official poster artwork for CZF 2025 created by Kelly Wang! Kelly perfectly captures the colorful clutter and chaos of a zinester’s workspace. Keep your eyes peeled for Zinehead—our official mascot for this year’s fest.

Kelly Wang is an award-winning alternative cartoonist, printmaker, and musician based in Chicago. Their hand-drawn works combine Asian and American influences, their stories exploring personal narratives and growth often with absurd or magical realism twists. They currently self-publish their work through their own small risograph press REESO PRESS and play music. Explore more of Kelly's delightful art at their website, cchianart.com.

We're restarting the CZF email newsletter so we're not so reliant on the whims of social media corporations! Please subscribe to our monthly-ish newsletter to keep in the loop about all things Chicago Zine Fest.

Registration for the 2025 Chicago Zine Fest will be curated to ensure we have a diverse mix of zinesters. The registration period will be open February 14–28. Everyone who submits an application will hear back about their status by March 31.

There will be no registration fees for those accepted to table at CZF 2025. That's right; it'll be free for tablers! We happily accept donations to ensure the fest continues to thrive and support our artists, workshop leaders, and community partners.

If you have any trouble with the embedded form below (or if you're filling it out on a mobile device), you can fill out the form directly here.

Before applying, please take a moment to review the CZF Safer Spaces Policy.