Right outside our doors, there’s a certain excitement abuzz in the air. In a matter of days, the streets on our block will be rife with vibrant color, alluring sculptural forms and the creative spirit of art lovers. That’s because returning this upcoming weekend is Chicago’s beloved Millennium Art Festival — a three-day, award-winning art and design show that showcases works from over 120 juried artists.
Festival Overview
Now in its 13th year, the Millennium Art Festival brings paintings, ceramics, photography, furniture and live music to Lake Street and Michigan Avenue. Attendees can enjoy displays and shop around for one-of-a-kind pieces from artisan vendors. From July 16th to 18th, this year’s summer festival will be open from 11AM-6PM on Friday, 10AM-6PM on Saturday and 10AM-5PM on Sunday. Though walk-ups are welcome, free reservations are encouraged to help spread out the crowds throughout the weekend. Grab a free reservation here.
Before You Go
The festival is inviting attendees to bring along gently used art to donate to The Chicago Furniture Bank, an organization dedicated to distributing furnishings to folks leaving shelters and moving into permanent housing. The Chicago Furniture Bank booth will be open for drop offs on Saturday from 10am-3pm.
And while there is a certain magic to stumbling across great art in person, it doesn’t hurt to scope out the list of artists and their booth numbers, and to even shop some of the pieces online now.
The One Two Pru Take
Luckily for tenants at One Two Pru, the festival is just right outside our doors. For guests coming from out of town close parking will be available at the nearby Millennium Parking Garage. As festival goers get swept up by the festivities, it’s not a bad idea to forego overpriced and unpredictable festival food for more comfortable, staple dining options at One Two Pru. Feast on classic deep-dish at Giordano’s, enjoy a pancake breakfast at Wildberry or seamlessly stock up on snacks and water at Amazon Go.
No matter how you choose to take on the art festival, us at One Two Pru are looking forward to seeing our tenants, neighbors and visitors out and about as the city reopens through art.
Photo courtesy of amdurproductions.com
