Barnsley Zine Fair February 2026

Saturday the 25th of February was the fifth Barnsley Zine Fair and I again had a table and could sell all my zines! Jason at the Civic has done so well with it and people are now coming from all over the place to table - this time we had people from Fife, Edinburgh, London, and Cambridge! So many people came to buy things, too - there was a steady stream all day which is great. Of the 60 stallholders, thirty of them had never tabled before so that's an amazing ratio! I am so thrilled that it's doing so well.

Lee and I got set up around 10am. I had done loads of copies of my zines in the weeks previous and we had spent a long time putting them together. I had also done copies again of Lee's zine Primark Punks (The Non Punk's Guide to Punk Music) which he made about ten years ago but which we haven't copied for a while. I had some new signs for my stall which I think really helped sales, so that's good. 

As I said there were people through all day. Someone said they had bought the previous two issues of my zine Tracks of My Years so they were pleased to buy the third one! It's always nice to hear that people have enjoyed my zines and want more. I saw some friends like Chris, Gears for Queers from Fife, and Chloe, who has been at each of the fairs too. She's one of Barnsley's young makers, who I LOVE and love to encourage them, so it was nice to see her. A few people asked me to trade, which I also LOVE - it's like a present because you never know what you'll get! I spent way too much money on zines myself, oops. 

When the fair finished Lee and I went to the Market Kitchen for tea. We both had fresh pizzas from Neros which were really good. Mine was olives and feta, dunno. Lee's was just margerita. Then we bought brownies and took them home. We relaxed all evening; I did read some of my new zines! 

I was wearing this new striped dress that I got off Vinted although it's from Shein originally. I got the same one in grey, but I love the peachy colour of this one. I love the fact that the stripes go in different ways, and I of course love the pockets! I think I'll be wearing this a lot this summer especially. It is a teensy bit shorter than I really like to wear with tights, so I will probably wear it with leggings. That's fine, at least then I'll be comfy! 

It was a lovely day, but tiring. 

My stall all set up before the fair started 

Pizza, I love fresh pizza and this was really good

My dress when we got home. Lee had bought a new chest of drawers which is what's in the boxes next to me

Here's everything I bought and traded, including a couple I had traded with my friend Cassian a few days earlier. It was a good haul!