The 58th annual Old Town Art Fair, which sets up camp among the tree-line streets and brick-paved sidewalks of the Old Town Triangle neighborhood, is a month away (June 9 and 10) and there are a few things you should know about it beyond the august history and details we recently related.
First, if you attend the Fair and are not a passionate visual art consumer, you should not count on having the time of your life. Because the Fair is packed-in so tightly among the antique homes and narrow streets (the exception being the inexplicably wide Lincoln Park West) of the Triangle, the organizers never really allow it to get out of hand. We wanted to offer proof, with this photo from last year, but the site seems to be down at the moment.
If getting out of hand is what you are after you should head to the 33rd annual Wells Street Art Festival (which always occurs on the same days as the Old Town Art Fair) on Wells Street south of North Avenue. There is more drinking there and more noise, and less interest in art.
Second, if you attend the Fair and are a passionate visual art consumer, you should not count on having the time of your life. As is the case with even the best art fairs and festivals, there is good art and there is art that causes one to wonder what the artist was thinking. At the Old Town Art Fair you will see art that gives you pause and an equal amount of art that gives you tingles in a bad way: art made from wood found in nature, art that calls to mind the ceramic cheetahs once offered as prizes on Wheel of Fortune. Go to the Old Town Art Fair for a nice afternoon in a nice neighborhood on hopefully a nice day, and go with no expectations.
If you want to guzzle beer, listen to live music and check out scantily clad hotties in picnic wear, go to the Party in the Plaza parish fundraiser at St. Michael in Old Town, 1633 N Cleveland St, one of the oldest Catholic churches in the city. The parish turns the church side yard into a beer garden and sets up a rock stage in the parking lot.
And if it’s religious institution fundraising blowouts you’re into, you could do a lot worse than the 49th annual Ginza Holiday at the Midwest Buddhist Temple, 435 W. Menomonee, August 20-22. Decent food is offered along with lots of demonstrations (flower arranging, calligraphy, brush painting) and performances (taiko drumming, dancing and martial arts), and tours of the main prayer hall inside the temple. No booze, though. If you want to tie one on, stick with the Catholics.