78th Annual 57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park (Part 2 of 2)
Details
IT"S BACK! So let's check out the 78th annual 57th Street Art Fair, an annual tradition in Hyde Park and one of the best art fairs in the city! We always have fun at this FREE fair, plus we find lots of great art & jewelry plus great music! Kick off the summer at the first major art fair of the season, located in the beautiful Hyde Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
The 57th Street Art Fair is THE place to buy art, whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the art scene. Listen to some of Chicago's best Blues music at the Buddy Guy's Legends Stage, meet friends, bring your family, enjoy the day at this historic, welcoming, fun event. All artists exhibiting at the Fair are stationed in their booths throughout the weekend to discuss their work.
Tentative Itinerary:
9:45 - 11:45 am Breakfast @Roux Diner BEFORE 57th Street Artfair
12 pm -12:10 pm - Meet & greet outside William Ray Elementary School
12:10 pm –3;15 pm --break into smaller groups of 4 or 5 and wander the the art festival and partake in the days activities
3:15pm – meet back up at Ray's Elementary School for those who wish to grab Metra train back home
CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES TO ABOVE SCHEDULE!
I am scheduling the BRUNCH portion BEFORE the art fair as a separate event, to make it easier for all & space is limited. It'll be at Roux Diner. If you want to join the BRUNCH portion before, then please sign up for that separately at this link below: https://www.meetup.com/windy-city-wanderers/events/307080309/
We will meet in front of the William Ray Elementary school as it is a large enough landmark to make it easy for all to find. It is 57th and Kimbark by the sign that says, "Ray Elementary School."
Oldest Juried Art Fair in the Midwest. Mary Louise Womer, a silversmith artist from Kansas City, was the visionary behind the 57th Street Art Fair. Her studio, The Little Gallery, was a local hangout where artists in the community gathered to talk and drink tea. Wanting to create an event where local artists could showcase their work to the community, Womer established the first 57th Street Art Fair in 1948. Her studio lacked the space needed for the event, so she decided to take advantage of the local streets, stringing wires from trees and along fences of 57th Street where the artists could hang their works. Fifty-one artists, many of whom were students at the Art Institute and the Institute of Design, each paid 50 cents to participate for the weekend. Everything from paintings to ceramics to jewelry to glasswork was displayed! By the end of the weekend, earnings totaled $500, and on Sunday night Womer and her husband John cleaned up the display areas themselves.
“The 57th Street Art Fair is a two-day outdoor celebration of the visual arts held in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, adjacent to the University of Chicago campus and the home of President Barack Obama. Artists and art lovers reunite at Chicago's oldest juried art fair in the Midwest, featuring the work of 200 exhibitors. Most are returning artists, but each year between 50 and 75 new exhibitors are invited to participate by a jury made up of collectors, critics, curators, and artists.”
http://www.57thstreetartfair.org/general-information
https://www.57thstreetartfair.org/2017-map--legend (check back)
https://www.57thstreetartfair.org/parking--directions (check back)
If you are taking public transportation, please check the art fair website for directions or use Google Maps or CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
Note that parking can be difficult during the art fair so it is best to use public transportation. Metra Electric trains run near the fair & several CTA bus routes. Use SpotHero or Parking Whiz for the cheapest & safest options
PLEASE NOTE OUR CURRENT NO-SHOW POLICY:
- 3 no-shows without updating your rsvp, and you will not be able to sign up for future events for 3 months
- cut-off time to update your rsvp is the start time of the event. If you miss the start time, then message the event host directly
- not checking in with the event host to notify them you have arrived (for walks, tours or festival-type events)
- continual no-shows will result in removal from the group!