This fall, I’m going to be featured in four zine fests in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Washington! While I can’t attend in person, my zines will be there. I’m thrilled because Marcus and I had planned on going to a bunch of zine fests in 2020, but all of them were cancelled due to COVID-19. It’s wonderful to see that some zine fests have figured out a way to make the show go on.
The San Fernando Valley 2021 Zine Fest features AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) zine artists throughout the month of September (and after too!) in response to the violence and hate that continues to occur during the COVID-19 pandemic. And you don’t have to live in the Los Angeles area to attend this year’s fest. This year’s fest is virtual, so you can visit from anywhere in the world. At the SFVZF site, you can learn about each artist, see photos of their zines, and find out ways to support them and their work. I’m honored to part of this amazing collection of AAPI artists and hope you’ll take time to learn about them and buy some zines.
For those of you living in or near Colorado Springs, Colorado, Pikes Peak Zine Fest 2021 kicks off TODAY with a zine celebration at the opening of the new letterpress shop, Ladyfingers! Come enjoy an evening of shopping for zines, art, and stationary on Friday, October 1, 2021, from 3-7 pm Mountain Time. Organizers Jennifer and Kelsey will be manning a table selling zines (my zine Rebel Millionaire will be there!), and they’ll also be giving away FREE copies of their PPZF 2021 Anthology and FREE DIY Zine Kits. If you can’t make it to the fest, their online shop will open on October 1 and exhibitors’ zines will be available through October 31. Treat yourself to some spookalicious shopping.
For those of you living in or near Albuquerque, New Mexico, ABQ Zine Fest 2021 happens this Saturday, October 2, 2021 at La Esquinita in Barelas from 11 am- 5 pm Mountain Time! Come join organizers Marya and Liza for some excellent zine shopping (my zine Rebel Millionaire will be there!), tasty food, and mingling with zinesters. I really wish I could stop by to chat it up, buy some zines, and then order some green chile enchiladas, but alas, I cannot. But if you do live in or near this beautiful city in the Southwest, I hope you’ll come out and support this eclectic collection of indie artists and zinesters.
Lastly, I’m excited to share that I’ll be part of the Short Run Comix & Arts Festival catalog this fall! Short Run happens every November in Seattle, features hundreds of exhibitors, and attracts thousands of readers from all over the world. Marcus and I have been going to it for years, and this year, they turn 10! Even though they’ve postponed their in-person festival to 2022 due to public health considerations, they’re publishing a catalog to promote Washington-state indie authors, artists, and micro-publishers. I’m honored that my middle-grade novel, The Contenders, featuring wonderful illustrations by Erin Kubo, will be featured in their catalog! If you’d like to receive a catalog, fill out their form here.
This holiday season, please consider SHOPPING SMALL. Indie artists, indie bookstores, comic book shops, and small businesses need your help more than ever to stay afloat during the pandemic. I hope I’ve given you some good ideas for where you can buy some truly unique and interesting indie gifts. Thank you for shopping indie!
Peg Cheng (she/her) is a writer and educator living in Seattle, Washington.
Photo of Short Run 2018 by Marcus Donner.