by Molly Walsh
Zines have been an integral part of Olympia’s musical and cultural history, and the local creation and appreciation of zines continues through Olympia Zine Fest. Olympia Zine Fest takes place on Saturday, May 31, with the opportunity to explore grassroots art, fiction, biography, poetry and journalism across a wide range of topics. Attendees will have the chance to read, purchase and trade zines, meet fellow zine artists and participate in onsite workshops and activities, including community zine projects and screen printing.
The first Olympia Zine Fest took place in 2015, with great community demand for a celebration that unites zine creators and enthusiasts. Aggie Burstein, a librarian at Olympia Timberland Library and longtime co-organizer of Zine Fest, recalls how Olympia Zine Fest was embraced by the community from year one. And across Western Washington, interest in zines and zine-centered events has only continued to grow, including through recently-formed events like Bremerton Zine Fest and Seattle Zine Fest.
According to Burstein, Olympia Zine Fest’s decade of operations has brought about numerous learning experiences, and the festival has now taken on a kind of mentorship role for newer festivals that have reached out for guidance.
Burstein is also in charge of tending to Olympia Timberland Library’s Zine Collection, composed of more than 1,700 zines available for checkout. Readers can browse through different titles in the online catalog, and are welcome to contribute their own zine to the library’s collection if it meets the collection guidelines. Olympia Timberland Library will be the venue for the Olympia Zine Fest’s Kickoff Event on Friday, May 30 and will also host a pop-up zine library at the festival on May 31.
According to Kerry Martin, co-organizer of Olympia Zine Fest, the zine community is tightly linked to the music community and initially, zines were often created as fan-made publications highlighting bands and musicians. In addition, zines had a place in Olympia’s prolific music scene of the 1990s, including those crafted during the feminist punk Riot Grrrl movement.
The definition of a zine is expansive. The layout and content is relatively open-ended, but usually contains the work of an artist using illustration, photography or the written word. Martin added that zines are usually self-published, held together with staples, or pamphlets and explore topics that are of great curiosity or enthusiasm for the author.
According to Burstein, zines tend to highlight perspectives that are not often featured in major media outlets and can be an effective way for an individual creator to introduce their artwork or their unique viewpoint into the community. For people who enjoy reading zines, events like Olympia Zine Fest can be an opportunity to discover a wide spectrum of art styles and topics of interest.
Olympia Zine Fest will span multiple events across Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31. The events are open to all ages and are free to attend. Masks will also be required at all festival events and will be provided for attendees who need one.
The festival launches with a Kickoff Event at the Olympia Timberland Library from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 30. According to Burstein, a kickoff event has been a longstanding festival tradition at the library, but has adopted different layouts over the years. This year’s kickoff event will be a casual after-hours gathering at the library with opportunity for attendees to work on their own zine projects, share their work during an open-mic, or enjoy provided snacks. Zine-making supplies will be available. For zine authors looking to assemble the last details of their work, the library will have its computers, copiers and printers open for use.
The festival’s main event will be the Tabling Expo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Olympia Center. More than 80 vendors will be present, primarily featuring zines and similar art forms. Martin describes the format of the Tabling Expo as a cross between an art gallery opening and a craft fair, with the opportunity to meet and chat with zine creators, while enjoying the different writing and artwork on display. Zines featured in the expo may be available for purchase for a small fee, and zine artists may also be open to trading or exchanging zines with fellow zine authors.
The expo will also feature the Quiet Zine Reading Area, with many zines donated by festival creators and vendors. This area is located away from the hustle and bustle of the main event and may be a retreat for attendees who want to recharge their social battery or browse through different zines in a more serene environment.
There will also be space for inspiration, connection and support for attendees who want to make their own zine. This includes a lineup of workshops that delve deeper into different zine-related art styles or invite participation for community-created zine projects.
Zoë Gray will host the workshop, “Tarot Inspired Comic Zines,” where attendees will craft a tarot-influenced miniature zine, while learning more about the building blocks of comic art and sequential storytelling. “Community Zine,” featuring Hathor Vergotis, and “Night Drawer,” led by Frederick Dobler, are additional opportunities for attendees to craft their own page for community-driven zine projects.
The expo will also feature a DJ, photo booth, raffle and interactive activities, like screen printing from Olympia Open Print Shop. If attendees are interested in creating a t-shirt that features this year’s festival artwork, they are invited to bring a blank shirt that is light in color.
The festival will close out through a Dance Party at local venue and performance space, DECAY, from 8 to 10 p.m. May 31.
*Please note that masks are required at all festival events.
All photos are courtesy of Olympia Zine Fest.
WHAT:
2025 Olympia Zine Fest
WHEN:
Kick-off Event at Olympia Timberland Library Friday, May 30 from 7- 9 p.m.
Tabling Expo at The Olympia Center Saturday, May 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dance Party at DECAY Saturday, May 31 8-10 p.m.
WHERE:
Kick-off Event at Olympia Timberland Library, 313 8th Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501
Tabling Expo at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA 98501
Dance Party at DECAY, 402 Washington St NE, Olympia, WA 98501
COST:
All festival events are free and open to all ages.
LEARN MORE:
https://olympiazinefest.org/