Glenwood Avenue Arts District
6900N/1400W - Rogers Park - Chicago
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23rd Annual
2024 Glenwood Avenue Arts Festival
3rd weekend in August
Friday Night
Cobblestone Jam
Friday Aug. 16, 6p - 10p
Artists' Market
Saturday Aug. 17, 11a - 9p
Sunday Aug. 18, 11a - 7p
For over two decades, the Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest (GAAF) has been a beacon of artistic celebration, embodying grassroots spirit and volunteer-driven ethos within Chicago. Organized by the community, this immersive weekend event showcases over 100 artist booths, invites exploration of open studios, and pulsates with vibrant live entertainment across outdoor stages. It stands as one of the few neighborhood festivals where attendees directly engage with creators, discovering and acquiring unique handmade artworks. Nestled amidst the charming cobblestone streets of Chicago's historic Rogers Park neighborhood, the Fest illuminates the Glenwood Avenue Arts District, enriching the experience with free live music, captivating performances, inspiring art demonstrations, and a delectable array of street food and craft beer offered by local merchants.
Rogers Park's thriving arts and entertainment district is along Glenwood Ave at Morse Ave, an urban stretch of mixed-use buildings with an inviting European flavor: narrow cobblestone streets, murals on the elevated train embankments, and quaint storefronts.
There are two award-winning theaters in the district- Lifeline Theatre and Rhapsody Theatre - a variety of live music venues, art studios and galleries, all in close proximity to unique and friendly bars and restaurants.
“For pure Chicago heart, soul and polished grit, the Glenwood Avenue Arts District in Rogers Park is our favorite new destination.” (October, 2008)
-Chicago Magazine
"Maybe the time has come to dub Glenwood Avenue in the Rogers Park neighborhood as Chicago’s answer to off-Broadway. Certainly that’s the conclusion to be reached if you tally up the nominations for the Non-Equity Jeff Awards … Among the top nominees are two theaters who make their home on that narrow railroad street — Lifeline Theatre (14 nominations), and Theo Ubique Theatre Company (13 nominations).” (April 29, 2009)
-The Chicago Sun Times
The Glenwood Ave Arts District was cited as one of the anchors of Rogers Park when it profiled the neighborhood in its article, "An Ethnic Mix Keeps It Funky In Chicago". (February, 2010)
-The New York Times