Browsing an art fair is a fun way to see a town or neighborhood you might not have visited, a good way to get some exercise without feeling guilty for not power walking and a way to take care of holiday presents without bucking the holiday crowds. You might even find something for a wall that needs some color. Here are some of the best art fairs still to come this August and September so get out your calendar or save to your phone. BTW all the fairs listed here have at least 100 exhibitors. Most of the them also have entertainment and food. Many have a kids’ section where youngsters can have fun with art..
Aug. 6-7
- Art at the Glen Town Center in Glenview is rated in the top 30 US art shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The show is centered at 1800 Patriot Blvd, Glenview, IL 60026. For other information visit Glen.
- Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival is a chance to catch a cool breeze and view of the Chicago skyline because the art show is in Dawes Park, 1700 Sheridan Rd. at Church Street in Evanston at the south end of the Northwestern campus. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. See Evanston Arts
Aug. 20-21
- The Fine Art Festival at 100 Oak Brook Center (yes,the large, upscale mall), Oak Brook IL 60523, has been a late summer highlight for more than 50 years. For more information visit Oakbrook Festival.
- Oak Park Avenue-Lake Arts & Crafts Show is in Scoville Park at Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. See American Society of Artists.
Aug. 27-28
- Bucktown Arts Fest is held in Senior Citizens Memorial Park at 2300 N. Oakley Ave. and 2300 W. Lyndale St. in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit Bucktown
- Port Clinton Art Festival is the big, end–of-summer art show on Chicago’s North Shore. Rated among the top 10 shows in the country, it features more than 260 juried artists and attracts more than 250,000 visitors. The Festival is held from First to Second Streets on the south side of Central Avenue in Highland Park. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For directions visit Port Clinton.
Sept. 4-5
- 62nd Annual Art Fair on the Square, sponsored by the Deer Path Art League, fills the suburb’s Historic Market Square at Western Avenue on the west side of the Union Pacific train tracks in north suburban Lake Forest. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For other information visit Deerpath Art League.
Sept 10-11
- Lakeview East Festival of the Arts is held at Broadway Street and Belmont Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood. Hours are Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit Lakeview East Festival .
- Renegade Craft Fair is at Division Street between Damen Avenue and Paulina Street in Chicago’s Wicker Park Neighborhood. It is a fun, large, non-juried crafts fair. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. See Renegade Chicago
Sept.17-18
- West Loop Art Fest is at Washington Street between Aberdeen and Halsted Streets. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Art is sold until 7 p.m. each day but the entertainment continues later. There are interactive tent for fair-goers (any age) to create art. Visit West Loop Fest.
- Park Forest Art Fair, among the oldest fairs in Cook County is at Main and Cunningham in Park Forest. See Tallgrass Arts.
- Riverwalk Fine Art Fair is a delightful festival held along the river at Eagle Street and Jackson Avenue, Naperville. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information at Naperville Art League.
Sept. 22-25
- American Craft Exposition, formerly held in Evanston, is at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe just east of Edens Expressway. Sept. 22 is the preview benefit party from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and costs $175. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are done with a three-day pass for $15 even if only going one day but there are demos and lectures each day. Hours are Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ACE is one of the top indoor shows in the country. Visit ACE.
- Art in the Barn is held the same weekend but on Saturday and Sunday. It is on the Good Shepherd Hospital grounds at 450 W. Illinois Highway 22, Barrington. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See Art In Barn
- Edgewater Arts Festival is also held that Saturday and Sunday from 1040 to 1190 West Granville Ave. in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. This is a family-style community event that is also open to the general public. An entry fee of $5 is suggested. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more details see Edgewater Artists.