SF Zine Fest is Back and Has a New Venue!

Photo of zinester a solitary animal from SF Zine Fest

Sunday, September 4, the San Francisco Zine Fest is back in person with a new venue and a slate of local artists, writers, zine-makers & comic creators (and it’s still free as ever)! After two years of SFZF going digital, City View at the Metreon will have over 100 tables of independent artists and DIY treasures like zines, indie comics, and art prints.

Highly local, supremely independent, and always free, the SFZF is a seminal San Francisco cultural event where artists and writers share all manner of printed work. The City has a rich history of indie comics dating back to the 60’s and the SFZF lets you dial into the vibrant world of comics and art. And yes, it’s still vibrant as fuck! 

In a city where a corporate takeover always feels imminent, events like the SF Zine Fest give me hope that the rebellious punks, counter-culture weirdos, and outsider artists still have a foothold. Not all of us local artists are trust fund art school dropouts shilling NFTs to taste-less tech bros. Some of us are still clinging to our rent-controlled apartments, spending our free time stapling together pages about free boxes or encounters on Muni.

In addition to all the tables of zines and art, this year’s event includes a panel on identity as an act of protest, a Q&A with the guest of honor (Avy Jetter), a zine library, a kid’s zone, and two printing workshops.

When asked how the event impacts the community, organizer Anand Vedawala had this to say:

“SF Zine Fest provides space for independent artists to create zines and distribute them to a receptive and supportive audience… Removing barriers to participation and attendance has been crucial to the success of SF Zine Fest since the earliest days of the organization. We have implemented several practices to ensure that as many people as possible can participate however they might choose… Additionally, we’ll have ASL interpretation throughout the day to make the festival more accessible.”

A piece drawn by Avy Jetter about one of the Zine Fest events. From Avy Jetter’s Instagram

This year’s guest of honor, Avy Jetter, has been a mainstay at local zine fests, comic cons and art fairs for ten years. She has created several comics & zines, she volunteers at art events around the Bay Area and is the creator and organizer of Oakland Creates. Her expressive style and love for all things creepy are exemplified in her delightfully gross horror comic “Nuthin’ Good Ever Happens at 4 a.m.”, which is about primarily BIPOC characters facing a zombie apocalypse in Oakland. Her dedication & creativity are prime examples of the rich world of indie comics and zines that are still vital to the Bay Area arts community.

“I have a vision about bringing folks together through art and giving them an opportunity to present their best selves, and learn how to make a living while both interacting & serving their community with positive action. A vision to help empower folks to learn about themselves and develop themselves in multiple areas of their lives.”

-Avy Jetter, find more info about Jetter and her arts event, Oakland Creates, at @nuthingoodat4 & @OaklandCreates on IG.

If one day of zine fest isn’t enough for you, there are several pre/post-festival events:

• SFZF Thinking Captions Zine Reading, August 27, 6-7 pm at Silver Sprocket, San Francisco
• SFZF Zine Picnic, August 28, 1-3pm at Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco
• SFZF Kick-off Party, September 3, 6-9 pm at Mission: Comics, San Francisco
• SFZF After-Party, September 4, 7-9:30 pm at Silver Sprocket, San Francisco

The 21st Annual San Francisco Zine Fest, is September 4 at City View at Metreon, just a few blocks from the Powell BART/Muni station. And when you go, remember; BUY A ZINE! BUY AN INDIE COMIC! Support alternative literature!