Registration for the fest happens via our website (typically in Jan/Feb) for that year’s fest. It is a multi-step process that begins with interested vendors joining a lottery. The lottery link is only visible and active for a short time so please follow @milwaukeezinefest on social for announcements about upcoming open registration dates and/or join The Bindery’s mailing list at the bottom of our homepage.

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When you join the lottery, you will be asked for some information about yourself, and you'll need to agree to our policies regarding safety and community care. Not all vendors get in to actually table each year: we run the lottery, audit it for diversity purposes, and then let folks know who got in and who got waitlisted.

Full details regarding the above are on the lottery site when it is active each winter.

Vendors who get in via the lottery are then contacted to submit a small tabling fee and officially commit to their slot. Folks should stay tuned for email communication from the MZF Zine Team as the fest nears regarding day-of needs and info!

The lottery process for MZF is not an "application"--meaning we are not judging your work, asking you to submit a portfolio, censoring any given topic, or making decisions based on what you create. Anyone with any amount of experience is welcome to join the lottery.

However, the lottery is not 100% random: we audit results to ensure that we are running a festival that hits the following three goals. MZF's lottery is:

1. Open to all

2. Fair and as accessible as possible

3. Built to proactively prioritize marginalized voices

In order to do the above we have developed a lottery process, and made it transparent to the public. You can read the transparency statement to learn more below.

Registration is the same price for everyone: $20 plus a small processing fee.

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What counts as a “table?” — it depends...slightly. MZF is committed to providing chairs and table-space for all vendors (i.e. you don't need to bring anything but your own wares)! The exact amount of table space varies per vendor depending on where you end up being randomly placed.

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Some vendors are placed at separate smaller tables, others share a big table that is divided in half. Regardless, you can expect to have table space that is at least 3ft x 3ft as well as a chair (or space for your wheelchair or mobility device).

Nope. In order to keep our fest as diverse and accessible as possible with limited space, we ask that each registrant stick to just one slot.

Zine fest always sells out of vendor tables, with a huge waitlist. (Often only 50% of folks get in who’d like to!) Help us accommodate as many of your fellow community members as possible by sticking to registering once.

Yes, we've got ya: MZF provides table space and one chair for each vendor. A few important notes on this:

• Tables are different sizes, depending on season and location in the library. Some tables are long and split down the middle to accommodate two vendors. Others are smaller, stand-alone tables.

• In all cases, table space is roughly the same: plan for about 3ft x 3ft. It may be a little more or a little less but if you're planning out your table cloth/signage/zine spread... that's a good place to start!

• When we say "one chair" we really really mean it. Each year we get asked for extra chairs and unfortunately we can't provide them (and no, you can't bring your own). This has to do with important things like fire code, ADA compliance, and library facilities management.

• If you require an extra chair for an ADA related accommodation, no problem: vendors get asked about accessibility needs in advance!

Absolutely. MZF recognizes that some zinesters may only have a zine or two to sell. Feel free to partner up with one buddy and share your spot with someone else. (We limit this to just you and one other for space concerns). Please just let us know in your registration notes so that we can market everyone properly!

Probably! Our team does our best to sit folks next to one another, though we prioritize making sure vendors with mobility needs are correctly accommodated first.

Please hang tight regarding seating: our team will reach out to you as the fest approaches to go through the process of seating requests. Help us help you by not putting in requests early: seating is one of the last things we set in motion because vendorship often changes up until the very end.

Assume you will be seated next to a buddy: 99.99% of the time this works out great. Just be sure to follow instructions when they hit your inbox. (We cannot accommodate moving around day-of.)

MZF doesn’t take any commission on sales at the fest, or charge you anything beyond your registration. Your work is your own: your profits are your own. We do ask our community to pay a small online "swipe fee" that MZF gets charged by our payment processor: by paying an extra buck or so you are part of a community effort to keep the fest up and running each year. Thank you!

Due to the limited nature of our space, and the fact that we always sell out, we ask that all vendors make a serious commitment to attend. Registration fees are used in advance to support the fest, its programming, marketing, workshop materials, and scholarships—that’s money we can’t get back once it’s spent on making the fest fabulous for everyone!

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We therefore cannot offer refunds if you do not attend (or for any other reason). MZF recognizes, of course, that life is far from perfect and emergencies do occur. Please reach out if extreme circumstances apply.

All vendors should take this risk into consideration before paying their registration fee.

“Allowed” is a strong word—but we do ask that every vendor focus on zine-specific sales. At least 70% of your offerings should be zines or zine-related. Buttons, posters, books, printwork, and other merch are also welcome, of course--but the majority of what's on your table should be zine-ish.

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Why? Milwaukee Zine Festival specifically focuses on zine art and culture. This focus helps our community thrive & bear witness to itself, while also educating the general public about the importance (and brilliance) of zine-specific ethos, form, and history. The city of Milwaukee is lucky to be the home of countless craft fairs, maker-festivals, art shows, book stores, comic shops, and gallery spaces of all kinds. (That’s why we love it here!) By keeping our festival zine-focused, we are purposefully and proactively allowing space for the types of underrepresented voices and marginalized work that often don’t fit well in these other venues and contexts.

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Luckily, the definition of a zine is broad enough to include all sorts of wonderful, powerful, small press creations! Not sure if what you want to vend “counts” as a zine? No problem: don’t be shy. Just reach out to ask before signing up to table.

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Otherwise MZF does not censor materials or content as long as it is in keeping with our safer spaces policy which disallows hate speech. We do ask that zinesters consider the mental health and well-being of those who may be looking their zines (which includes guests who are children). Please consider content warnings on anything you feel might be triggering or not quite ideal for young eyeballs.

Good question. Because MZF happens at the library, which is open to the public for regular hours, it’s hard to know exactly. But we estimate that around 3,000 guests pop in throughout the day depending on weather, etc. Plan accordingly!

MZF is committed to a safe and healthy festival environment for vendors and guests. The team will make any necessary decisions regarding COVID-policy as the fest gets close and we have appropriate guidelines from health officials. Please stay tuned to our social media for relevant announcements or feel free to reach out with questions. info@binderymke.com.

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Currently, Milwaukee Central Library does not require masks in the building... though they are encouraged and welcome. Milwaukee Zine Fest provides "masks required at this table" signage for any vendor that wants one: please pick one up at check-in or from a volunteer.

MZF officially opens to the public at 10:30am. We therefore recommend you arrive between 9:30 and 10am to check in and get set up. When you arrive, come find the MZF registration tables in the main rotunda located at the Wisconsin Avenue entrance of the building.

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A friendly Zine Team member will help check you in and tell you where your table is. You’ll be all set to unpack and get started! *Important note on no-shows: if you do not show up by 11am, your spot may be forfeited to another zinester (we encourage our wait-listers to show up just in case this happens). Please plan enough/extra time for travel, parking, etc!

We have a small team of volunteers available to offer spare hands if possible, day-of. (Plus other zinesters may be willing too!) This is not guaranteed at a moment's notice: please be patient if you need to wait until someone is available.

Zinesters should be as self-sufficient as possible but we understand some folks may have specific needs or particularly large/bulky items. If you know this is the case, it’s best to let us know at least 48 hours prior to the fest so that we can make arrangements prior to the morning chaos!

​Vendors who would like to temporarily park while loading in items have five options:

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• There are a few 15-minute-only parking spaces on Wisconsin Avenue directly in front of the library’s main entrance. The main entrance is not ADA compliant and involves stairs.

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• There is an official loading zone at the library’s main rear entrance which is on Wells Street between 8th and 9th. This entrance is ADA compliant: fully ramped and elevator’d!

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• There is a side entrance on 8th Street at the SE corner of the building that has a “no parking zone” next to it (marked with a sign). This is not an official loading zone and MZF cannot suggest nor endorse disobeying Milwaukee street regulations. We can casually note that folks have pulled up there for a few minutes with their flashers on in the past, no problem.

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• Further north on 8th Street, near the entrance of Centennial Hall, there is an official loading zone, marked by signage. It is perfectly legal to park here with your flashers on while you unload. Note that the Centennial Hall entrance does NOT connect to the library’s interior. You need to use the entrance at the SE corner of the building.

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• There is small, official loading zone at the library’s entrance on 9th street about halfway up the block. (There are also many metered spaces along 9th, and one may be open to “stand” in temporarily.)

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• Important note: Please do NOT park in or otherwise block any ADA accessible parking space—even temporarily.

We're happy to help and we're here for you (especially those coming from out of town who may need extra advice on lodging, transit, etc.) No problem. Reach out to The Bindery by email or phone any time: 414-482-3630 or info@binderymke.com.

*Please do review this FAQ page, first though: it may contain the info you need already!

Zine Team members and library staff are around all day to help you. Find us at the MZF table, behind various circulation desks, or just floating around the main floor. The team of volunteers can be identified by bright teal aprons with the orange and blue MZF pins on them. Library security officers are also present all day.

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The Zine Team of volunteers can answer questions, offer a hand, or even watch your table for you if you need to use the restroom, feed your parking meter, etc. We’re here to help: just ask!

Milwaukee Public Library provides free internet access to the public: there is no password—it should just pop up for you to select on your device. Milwaukee Zine Fest makes no guarantees on internet security, however: please contact MPL directly with questions regarding their network.

The space has limited outlets and MZF can’t guarantee you’ll be near one. If you know electricity is 100% essential to your display or sales system please plan to bring an extension cord or reach out directly to discuss in advance.

As a community, there's always someone with a charger that works with whatever device you may have if you need one and forgot! Feel free to ask around (or ask to plug yours in behind someone else's table)!

Your wonderful work, obviously! But beyond that here are some key things we recommend:

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• Lots of change in small bills (there is free wifi if you need it for any digital POS system).

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• A tablecloth or covering of some kind (we don’t provide one). At least 4x4 is recommended.

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• A sign, cards, or another way of letting people know who you are and how to find you after MZF.

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• Spare zines to trade with others and/or to archive with both MPL and UWM’s collections.

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• Lots of water/snacks (stay hydrated, friends)!
  

• A face mask if you want to walk around to others' tables. (Masks are not required in general: but certain vendors require them at their table!)

We have no idea either! Really, this is completely up to you and prices vary widely at MZF depending on the item being sold. Think about how much you spent on materials to make your zine, and how much time/creative energy you put toward it. Factor in your registration fee for the day. Also, vendors all have different goals: some want or need to make a profit; others just want to share their work/voice/ideas. Sometimes zinesters will even have free items, or zines “for trade” instead of “for sale.”

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Basically, a zine for $2 would not be out of place at MZF, nor would a zine for $20.

Milwaukee Zine Fest is not your tax advisor (especially because vendors are coming from a variety of backgrounds and situations).

Each vendor should make sure that they are following appropriate tax law based on their situation. Please note that as of this writing in 2025, the total sales tax (including state and local taxes) that you likely should be charging or including in pricing is 7.9%.

If you have questions or concerns about sales tax, please see more info here from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, or ask your trusted advisor.

Typically Zine Fest closes to the public at 4:30pm because the library closes at 5pm.

To respect our colleagues at the library who just want to go home after a long day of work, everyone needs to be completely packed and out of the library by 4:50pm to allow them to do their final security sweep and lock up for the day. We love MPL: please help us do right by them by planning more than enough time to pack up and head out.

Yes: we request that all vendors stay for the entire open period (typically 10:30am to 4:30pm day-of). Even if you sell out of zines early! Why? Three reasons:

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• It’s great for you! Visitors stop in all day long and up to the very last minute. We want as many folks as possible to see and purchase your work and/or just meet you and learn about your zine process.

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• It’s great for visitors! We want our guests throughout the day to have a wonderful experience, flush with zines a’plenty, while experiencing as diverse and wide a group of makers as possible!

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• It’s great for our community! Perhaps most importantly, being together all day strengthens our bonds to each other, and allows us to present our community to the public as one that is strong and whole.

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If you absolutely need to leave early, please let MZF know in advance of the fest so that we can discuss options.

We’ve gotten a lot of feedback from vendors and visitors alike that they’d love to meet up after the fest to socialize more....

...However, we also get feedback that folks are way too exhausted by fests’ end to attend anything else! Whether there's an after-event or not thus varies from year to year. Please see each year's specific schedule of events for details.

Don't worry, while the festival is just once a year, The Bindery runs zine programming, publication, and sales all year long! Follow along on social (@thebinderymke) to keep up with future workshops, gatherings, and opportunities.

If you are a regional zinester interested in partnering up with The Bindery to run classes, show off your collection, sell your work, or otherwise join the Zine Team to help us grow, please be in touch: info@binderymke.com