Hey, weren’t we just going on the other day about the pleasures of the handmade zine? We were! And just in time too, since on Sunday, the Brooklyn Zine Fest returns to Public Assembly for a second year of photocopied, illustrated dirt-cheap fun. The fest wraps up a particularly eventful few weeks for the Brooklyn zine sympathizers. The weekend before last, those who wanted to hawk or score some photocopied swag had two big events to choose between: the NYC Anarchist Book Fair at the Lower East Side’s Clemente Solo Vez Cultural Center, where the offerings ranged from DIY homemaking guides to printouts of the Christopher Dorner Manifesto; and MoCCA Fest, the annual independent comic expo put on by the Society of Illustrators and the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. But zine collectors can step into the majors this weekend and converge on the Brooklyn Zine Fest for a full day of nerding out, networking and shopping on a budget would not have seemed unreasonable on the allowance you had as a tween.

The event is at vendor capacity this year, which means over 80 exhibitors, and we’re looking forward to seeing some of last year’s sellers again with the latest installments of their self-publications. Our favorite local tables include The Borough Is My Library, NYC staple The East Village Inky and For the Birds Collective. There are also some notables who are traveling a long way to be here for the day include the premier DC food zine The Runcible Spoon and the Philly-based Zine of the Month Club.

If last year’s event is anything to judge by, the BZF draws a crowd that ranges from flower wreath-wearing Rookie Magazine acolytes to aging post-grunge scene veterans a la Jaded Punk Hulk and everything in between. A pre-fest event held at the Brooklyn Museum last weekend provided the zine-curious public with an opportunity to contribute to the creation of a cookzine that will presumably be available for purchase at the event. One that that will definitely be on sale Beer from event sponsor Brooklyn Brewery (also, we seem to remember some kind of bake sale happening last year?) There were definitely cupcakes around). Admission is free and the fest starts at 11 am, so come out, reminisce about simpler times in the mid-90’s, and use your brunch money to support the arts!

Brooklyn Zine Fest 2013, Sunday April 21, 11am – 6pm, Public Assembly, 70 North 6th Street, Williamsburg, FREE

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