REVIEW: Art, Poetry, Kits, and More at 518 Zine Fest 2025

Oct 9

10/05 @ Nine Pin Cider Works, Albany

“The zine scene in the capital region is not just present—it’s flourishing and expanding to include all kinds of art and writing and expression.”

From the door of Nine Pin Cider Works, I could already hear the soft roar of the 2025 518 Zine Fest, as numerous conversations overlapped in the brewery’s larger dining room. Dozens of people clustered around tables covered with zines, artwork, and crafting supplies. Each table had copies of local zines covering topics from local ghost stories to experience with chronic pain and illness.

These short form books and magazines have given local artists and writers a medium to express themselves that is accessible to both the creator and the consumer. Zines have always been about increasing access to art and that sentiment was clear at the 2025 Zine Fest.

Tables were manned by various groups, including the New York State Library, Paper Moon Bookstore, Hell Yeah Lit, the Albany Zine Club, and numerous independent vendors selling their works. Every vendor had information about zine making, as well as the supplies to get started. A table in the middle was covered in a brown construction paper table cloth and piles upon piles of magazines, old photo books, and various other craft supplies. People openly discussed collage plans and inspiration while others handed them the photos they were looking for when they appeared in the materials. The energy in the room was inviting, telling attendees to come and try their hand at making a zine, and that all art is good art as long as you try.

The zine scene in the Capital Region is not just present—it’s flourishing and expanding to include all kinds of art and writing and expression. The commitment to teaching other people how to start making a zine or a collage means that the access to this kind of art only expands, even as some other forms of art have gotten more and more expensive. Zine making, reading, and distributing is about being a part of your community, both physically and socially. One attendee said that attending 518 Zine Fest was fun because it helped connect them with their local community and that they loved seeing other people participate in making low-pressure art at the central communal table.

Zines are a crucial part of art scenes around the world. In the Capital Region, the art form is thriving and inviting people to create for the sake of creation. In a world where art has been so commodified, events like 518 Zine Fest serve as a reminder that the tools needed to make art are right in front of you.

Keep up with the 518 Zine Fest on instagram at @518zinefest and keep an eye out for future fests and zine making opportunities.

518 Zine Fest Vendors on Instagram: