The 25th Annual SF Zine Fest

SF Zine Fest is a good excuse to spend an afternoon getting pleasantly lost in the city's DIY publishing scene. The annual gathering brings together independent zinesters, artists, illustrators and small presses, with tables packed with handmade publications that are far more personal and idiosyncratic than anything you'll find on a bookstore shelf. Part of the appeal is the sheer variety: comics, art books, political writing, photography and deeply niche obsessions all have room here. You can browse without a plan, meet the people behind the work and leave with a stack of inexpensive reading material that actually feels connected to the person who made it. For longtime zine fans, it is a chance to discover new work; for newcomers, the low-stakes format makes it easy to dip in and see what catches your eye.