The arts and culture festival A Day In Avondale returns Saturday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on an extended stretch of Milwaukee Avenue between Kimball and Belmont in Chicago. Now in its fourth year, festival organizers expanded the size of the free and family-friendly event to allow more businesses and artists to participate.
"There's an increasing awareness about A Day in Avondale and we've seen an uptick in the number of local artists and businesses interested in taking part," says festival coordinator Jennifer Hyman. "The festival highlights the unique aspects of our neighborhood, including our Polish and Eastern European roots, Latin American flavor, and strong artistic bent, and we're excited to introduce festivalgoers to more of what makes Avondale such a vibrant place to live or visit."
Unlike typical festivals, A Day in Avondale is produced in a grassroots style with events developed by and featuring local businesses, arts organizations and independent artists.
Monarch Thrift Store is one of those local businesses. Monarch Thrift Shop is a non-profit organization with a mission of providing Chicagoans quality merchandise in a boutique environment where all proceeds benefit programs for vulnerable populations. Their vision is to be a community for the community; supporting male-centered programs dedicated to the fields of recovery, HIV/AIDS, and reintegration while providing work for individuals with barriers to employment.
"As Avondale continues to grow, we think it's important to maintain the community feel of the neighborhood," says Emily Taylor of the Avondale Neighborhood Association. "To that end, we're dedicated to keeping our festival a truly local affair showcasing the people and places that call Avondale home."
The event will feature music and theatrical performances in various parks and venues, food and drink specials at area restaurants, hands-on arts and crafts, and dozens of works by local artists. 2015 A Day In Avondale highlights include:
- FrankenToy Mobile workshops in front of Corner Art Gallery, 2912 N. Milwaukee Ave., where children and adults reuse toys to build original creations.
- "Moe-waukee Fest," live bands, a carpentry contest, arts & crafts sale and more at Moe's Tavern, 2937 N. Milwaukee Ave.
- Live music, including Bassel and the Supernaturals in Unity Park, 2636 N. Kimball Ave.
- Mr. Fluxus. Things will happen on grass. Things will happen on the bus. Things will happen on the street at Woodard Plaza. These things will extract joy and ridiculousness from you, the public.
For more information about the festival, visit www.avondaleneighborhoodassoc.com/ADIA .
A Day in Avondale is produced by The Avondale Neighborhood Association and is part of Chicago Artists month 2015, the 20th annual celebration of Chicago's vibrant art community presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. For more information, visit www.chicagoartistsmonth.org .
About The Avondale Neighborhood Association:
The Avondale Neighborhood Association (ANA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that represents the common interest of the community members with regard to community development, preservation of diversity, enhancement of quality of life, safety and property values.