Milwaukee Zine Fest – a celebration of DIY creative literary work, small press publishing and other independent, self-created wonders – is a lively, free event produced by The Milwaukee Zine Fest Consortium in partnership with Milwaukee Public Library.
During Zine (pronounced “Zeen”) Fest, people buy, sell and trade zines. (What is a zine? Keep reading!) Most zines sell for $10 or less. Screen-printed posters, T-shirts, stickers, buttons and other DIY items are also for sale.
The festival also features hands-on experiences and workshops throughout the day. Attendees can test a typewriter, make a letterpress print, construct a flipbook, or learn about zine culture, history and social impact.
Milwaukee Zine Fest 2026 takes place Saturday, April 18, at the opulent Milwaukee Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. During Zine Fest, food trucks will park in front of the Library.
Milwaukee Zine Fest's mission is to support radical, independent and unorthodox ways of publishing by cultivating a community of those who support one another in doing so. The Fest also creates space, equity and leadership opportunities for Black, Indigenous, Latinx and Zinesters of Color.
What is a zine?
The main rule of creating a zine is that there are no rules. However, generally speaking:
A "zine" refers to a self-published, non-commercial print-work that is typically reproduced in small, limited batches. Zines appeal to a niche audience and are just as likely to be handwritten or typewritten as created via computer. Often zines include hand-drawn art, cartoons and anything else the authors – called "zinesters" – want to include.
See you at Zine Fest, Milwaukee!
For a full schedule of events, go here. Follow Milwaukee Zine Fest on Facebook and Instagram.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
