🤯🥰 #CZF2025

A late air purifier on the ground and signs pointing to it saying "This air filter is keeping the air clean" and "thank toy for doing your part by wearing a mask".

A CO2 monitor displaying a reading in the green level (821 CO2 ppm), a temperature of 69° F, and a humidity level of 68%.

#CZF2025 is done! I feel good about putting on the best & safest fest we could. We weren't allowed to require masks, but we gave out more than 300 masks today. 😷 Grateful for my co-organizers who helped support our Covid mitigation strategies!!! 💗 #ZineFests

Masked man with zines

Yours truly at the @nonmachinable.com table at the Chicago Zine Fest #czf2025... thanks to all who came out, stopped to chat, said hi, etc!

Please everyone wish us a successful #CZF2025 tomorrow!! 🙏🏻✂️💗 #zines

The Chicago Zine Fest 2025 poster as seen through the window at Quimby’s Bookstore. The poster features a very messy desk and a character named Zinehead being anxious about creating its own zine.

Thank you to our CZF 2025 sponsor the Center for Cartoon Studies, featuring the CCS logo of a inked character holding its own paintbrush and bottle of ink.

#CZF2025 is tomorrow!! Come on out to the Harold Washington Library Center, Saturday July 19th from 11 am–4 pm. Bring your friends, bring your kids, bring your good vibes! www.chicagozinefest.org/czf2025.html

Thank you @cartoonstudies.bsky.social for helping sponsor #ChicagoZineFest!! 💖🌟✂️💗

Three Chicago Zine Fest posters taped up on a wall, covering up old ripped up posters.

Thank you to the CZF 2025 print sponsors, PrintNinja and Perfectly Acceptable Press.

Have you seen any #CZF2025 posters out in Chicago?? Thank you to our print sponsors, Perfectly Acceptable Press and PrintNinja, for providing gorgeous posters of Kelly Wang's art!

We'll have riso-printed posters for sale on Saturday. #ChicagoZineFest

Small pinback button with a drawn image of the outside of the V Chicago Public Library Harold Washington Library Center and the text Chicago Zine Fest 2025.

We'll have these buttons for you this Saturday at #CZF2025!! 😍 Thank you to @busybeaverbuttonco.bsky.social for providing these beautiful souvenirs for the fest! 🦫💜

Artwork by this year's poster artist, Kelly Wang. 🌟🎨💖 Come check out their art during the fest at table 3 and at www.cchianart.com.

Flyer for "My First Zine". A panel discussion featuring some of Chicago's most prolific zine makers sharing stories and advice on how to get started making your very own zine! Featuring local favorites Keidra Chaney, Laryssa Olmedo, Anna Jo Beck, and Sasaki Family Zines. Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S State Street, 9th floor, South Hall, Saturday July 19th, 11:30 am.

Please join us at #CZF2025 for "My First Zine," a panel discussion featuring some of Chicago's most prolific zinesters sharing stories & advice on their zine-making journey!

This engaging panel happens this Saturday July 19th at 11:30 am—be there!! #zines #ChicagoZineFest

The beautiful CZF poster created by Chicago artist Kelly Wang. The art features a messy desk of an original character named Zinehead, who is stressed out about making a zine! Text: Chicago Zine Fest, July 19, 2025, Harold Washington Library.

The beautiful, sun-drenched Winter Garden on the 9th floor of the Harold Washington Library Center. It is a spacious tiled room with planted trees and curved windowpanes for a ceiling.

One week 'til #CZF2025!! Come out Saturday July 19th from 11 am–4 pm to support the independent artists who will be sharing their work. 🖌🌟✏️

Explore our gorgeous new venue, the Winter Garden in the Harold Washington Library Center. Free workshops all day! www.chicagozinefest.org/czf2025.html #zines

Flyer for "Zine Scene Characters: Design Like a Pro" featuring an image of a character with a piece of paper on a spring for a head. Learn the do’s and don’ts of character design through shape, color, and personality. Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S State Street, 9th floor, south hall. Saturday July 19th, 2:30 pm.

Our second workshop during #CZF2025 will be "Zine Scene Characters: Design Like a Pro"!

Learn the do’s and don’ts of character design through shape, color, & personality. Explore character design applications, then create your own original characters using fun shape prompts. All ages welcome!

Flyer for "Narrative Zine Making: Approaching Zines as Therapy." Join us for a zine-making workshop focused on emotional expression, processing, and healing. Facilitated by Shelby Graves and Bailey Katz, both licensed art therapists. Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S State St, 9th floor, South Hall. Saturday July 19th, 1–2 pm.

Excited to announce the programming at this year's #CZF2025!!

From 1–2 pm, we'll host "Narrative Zine Making: Approaching Zines as Therapy." Join us for a zine-making workshop focused on emotional expression, processing, and healing, facilitated by licensed art therapists. #zines

Flyer for Touch Grass Read Zine. A comics reading fundraiser for Chicago Zine Fest happening Sunday July 13th, 2025 from 5-7 pm at Skunk Cabbage Books in Avondale, 2826 N. Milwaukee Ave. There'll be an art raffle as well. 6 local chicago zine makers: ✲ Daimon Hampton ✲ Hink (Adelle) ✲ Maggie Umber ✲ Bridget Bilbo ✲ Elias Gonzalez ✲ Leigh Hugenberg Masks required and provided!

This Sunday! It's TOUCH GRASS READ ZINE!!

Please join us from 5–7 pm at @skunkcabbagebooks.bsky.social in Avondale for a reading by six fantastic local comics artists, including @gingerrbridge.bsky.social & @maggieumber.bsky.social & @daimondrewthis.bsky.social.

Come out to support #CZF2025!!

Flyer with stars reading "Volunteer at CZF 2025. Sign up for a 2-hour shift to help make Chicago Zine Fest great!"

Consider volunteering for a 2-hour shift to make #CZF2025 happen! Tasks including setting up, checking zinesters in, showing people how to make zines, and more.

Volunteer by filling out the form at tinyurl.com/czf2025volunteers.

Images of the CZF 2025 poster and a table map. The text reads: "Introducing the CZF 2025 zinesters. Chicago Zine Fest, July 19 2025, Harold Washington Library".

Very excited to share the list of zinesters who will be tabling at #CZF2025! Please plan on joining us for the Chicago Zine Fest on Saturday July 19th. www.chicagozinefest.org/czf-2025-exh... #zines #ZineFests #ChicagoZineFest2025

CZF Zine Prom this Thursday 💃🕺🍸✂️

After eight years, we're restarting our newsletter, so we're not so reliant on social media to share info. Want to keep up to date with all the CZF news? Subscribe to our monthly-ish email! czf.beehiiv.com/p/zine-prom #CZF2025 #ChicagoZineFest

Zine Prom flyer with an illustration of a disco ball and text reading "Thursday June 5th, 5-8 pm, Marz Taproom, 3630 S Iron St, Chicago".

We're so excited for CZF Zine Prom this Thursday June 5th!! Come out to dress up, dance, and make zines!! We'll have a best-dressed contest + 🍸🍻🌮 for purchase. Consider a $5–10 donation to help CZF thrive! #zines #ChicagoZineFest #ZineProm #CZF2025

Flyer for "Queer Identities in Zines: Past & Present," happening Saturday May 31st at 3 pm at Life on Marz Community Club, 1950 N Western Ave. There's a $5 suggested donation.

Chicago friends, help us kick off Pride with a workshop about "Queer Identities in Zines: Past & Present"! You'll learn about queer folks' zines in decades past, then you'll make your own minizine to continue the tradition. ✂️ 🌈 #zines #Chicago #CZF2025

A beautiful, bold poster of a very messy desk with art supplies, a paper cutter, glue, and more. The words promote the Chicago Zine Fest on July 19, 2025 at the Harold Washington Library.

Love, love, love our poster art for #CZF2025, featuring the delightful clutter & chaos of zine creation. 🎨🖍🖌✂️📌

Thank you to Chicago cartoonist & printmaker Kelly Wang for capturing the creativity of #zines!! See more of their incredible work at www.cchianart.com.

Infographic of CZF 2025 "zinesters by the numbers". Graphs show 68% of accepted zinesters are new to CZF, 53% are from Chicago, and 55% identify as BIPOC.

Infographic of CZF 2025 "zinesters by the numbers". Graphs show 23% of accepted zinesters identify as disabled, 73% identify as LGBTQIA+, and 100% are amazingly creative zinesters.

Our notifications for #CZF2025 were sent out today to everyone who applied. We wanted to share some stats about our accepted zinesters—some room for growth but a lot to be proud of. Grateful for the incredible zine community! 🙏 #zines

A map of the U.S. with pins showing where applicants live. Most are clustered around Chicago and the Midwest but there's a fair East Coast representation.

433 applications received for #CZF2025!! 💫 We only have room for about 65 zinesters in the Winter Garden, so we've got a tough curation process ahead. All applicants will hear back by March 31st.

Graphic with text "CZF 2025: one week left to apply to table!"

You've got one week left to apply to table at #CZF2025! Find the application form at chicagozinefest.org. Get in touch with any questions, but don't overthink it. 😉 #zines

A photo of the CZF 2025 venue, the Chicago Public Library Winter Garden, with the text "registration is open" and a QR code.

#CZF2025 applications are now open! You've got until Feb 28 to apply to table. Application form at chicagozinefest.org.

Thanks to the sponsorship of Chicago Public Library, tables will be FREE for zinesters accepted to the fest! 💗 #zines #ChicagoZineFest

Registration for #CZF2025 will be curated to ensure a diverse representation of zinesters. The registration period will be open from February 14–28, and decisions will be made by March 31st.

We can't wait to see you at Chicago Zine Fest 2025!

Graphic announcement for Chicago Zine Fest 2025, at the Winter Garden at Harold Washington Library. 400 S State Street, Chicago IL 60605, Saturday July 19, 11 am-4 pm. Registration open February 14-28.

Thrilled to announce that #CZF2025 will be held Saturday July 19th at a brand new venue: Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Library. We're taking over the Winter Garden, folks! 🌞 #zines #ZineFests

Graphic with the text "Looking for ways to build community? Become a CZF organizer!" The background is a marbled book endpaper.

Planning for #CZF2025 is underway!! We're looking for one or two folks to join us in organizing the Chicago Zine Fest. Please email us at chicagozinefest @ gmail to talk about the possibilities!