An arts festival that ‘defies definition’ is coming to Buffalo

BUFFALO, NY — Local zinesters are invited to show off their creations at ZineFest this year.

Hosted by WNY Book Arts and Just Buffalo Literary Center, zine creators can share their work starting August 18 from noon to 5 p.m. at 468 Washington St in the City of Buffalo.

Organizers say it “defies definition,” but is linked to “handmade, self-published, DIY, underground, cheap, hyperlocal, radical, queer, feminist, photocopied, misspelled,” organizers said.

More simply, a zine is a self-published magazine-type work.

“In a zine you can find poems, comics, manifestos, recipes, collages, gardening tips, spoken word and practical advice for your neighborhood activist,” the organizers noted.

Attendees can connect with artists in the pop-up zine library, read local classics, and sell and trade zines.

The event is free and open to all.

Robin Jordan, ZineFest organizer and director of the Just Buffalo Literary Center’s writing center, adds that it’s important to recognize local artists.

“Zines are a crucial form of publishing: the immediacy, the lack of gatekeepers, the low cost, the hyperlocality, the genre expansion,” she said. “I’m thrilled that Just Buffalo & Book Arts has found a way to offer zineers this moment to celebrate our local zine culture and its history.”

Vendor tables are not reserved and organizers ask that at least 75% of printed materials be present on tables. More information about the event, including how to reserve tables, can be found here.