Chicago, IL — The Old Town Art Fair (OTAF) and its sponsoring organization, the Old Town Triangle Association (OTTA) celebrated the announcement from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and DCASE that the Old Town Art Fair will return this year, during the second weekend in June. The announcement recognized "the thoughtful application and adherence to city and state guidelines for re-opening."
Art Fair Chair Anne Giffels noted that more than 200 artists have confirmed their participation and are looking forward to returning to Old Town. Numerous visitors are also making plans to visit, after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 shutdown. "We are thrilled to share this great news with the many neighbors and visitors who have contacted us about planning their trip to Chicago. We receive messages daily, asking us if the Fair is a certainty and wondering when they can pre-register and make plans for the Art Fair. The Old Town Art Fair is a destination for the people of Chicago as well as out-of-town visitors and we are happy to welcome them."
Safety measures for the 2021 Art Fair include a larger footprint for adequate room to move around, placing artist booths six feet apart, hand sanitizing stations throughout the Fair, signs encouraging social distancing and mask wearing, and more space for food vendors.
New this year, pre-registration will be required for entry to the Fair. Pre-registration will open on Saturday, May 8th at 10 AM. There are capacity limits on all outdoor festivals and fairs, and pre-registration will allow us to adhere to those caps.
The OTAF suggests a $12 donation to allow the Old Town Triangle to continue funding for multiple organizations throughout Chicago. Proceeds from the Art Fair are given to the community through grants to schools, charities, and other non-profit organizations.
The OTAF is juried by local art professionals, curators, gallery owners, and artists. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Fair, the Exhibitor's Committee invited all 2020 artists to return, and therefore no new applications were accepted for 2021.
The Old Town Art Fair is offered by the Old Town Triangle Association, a 501(c)(3) Illinois corporation. First mounted in 1949 as the Old Town Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair, the OTAF brings fine art to the tree-covered streets of Chicago's Old Town Triangle neighborhood. It had been held continuously since its first offerings (on the fences of homes) until 2020 and resumes in 2021.
