15th Annual Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest Coming Up This Month

The Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest (GAAF) is a free weekend-long event, drawing approximately 15,000 visitors, celebrating its 15th year.

The Fest includes a street art fair with over 140 artist-vendors, and live entertainment on three outdoor stages featuring over 40 acts. Experience art, theater, music, as well as food and drink, on the brick-laid streets of the Glenwood Avenue Arts District in Chicago's historic Rogers Park neighborhood.

For more information visit www.GlenwoodAve.org.

Rogers Park Flex Pass: five Rogers Park-area theatres - BoHo Theatre, The Factory Theater, Lifeline Theatre, the side project, and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre - join together for the ninth year to offer a flexible subscription pass to see a variety of productions throughout the season, running from September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017. The $50, five-show pass - good for one adult or kids show, anytime during the season, at each of the five participating theatres (offer does not include participant shows in venues outside Rogers Park, or visiting companies' shows at participant venues) - will be available at the Lifeline Theatre box office (6912 N Glenwood Ave.) during GAAF for a discounted rate of $45.

The Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest takes place in the Glenwood Avenue Arts District on Chicago's North Side, in the heart of Rogers Park, at 6900-7030 North Glenwood Ave. (between Farwell and Greenview), 1335-1449 Morse Ave., and the 1400 block of Lunt Ave., steps from the Morse Ave. stop on the CTA Red Line.

The Outdoor Fest and many art studios are ADA accessible.

The Opening Night Kick-Off Jam will be held on Friday, Aug. 19, 6-10 p.m. at North Stage, 7000 N. Glenwood Ave. (at Lunt). The Outdoor Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 20 -21, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., 6900-7030 N. Glenwood Ave. and the 1400 block of Morse Ave. and Lunt Ave.

PROGRAMMING:

Outdoor art: Over 140 artists will exhibit on Glenwood, Morse and Lunt Avenues

KidFest Area: Features free hands-on arts activities for kids. Also, on both days of the Fest, the South Stage offers family friendly circus, theater, dance and music acts from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Three Festival Stages: Two live music stages and a live music/performance stage (includes dance, theater and circus acts). Updated schedules will be announced on the website, www.GlenwoodAve.org, as well as on the Fest map and event signage.

Food and Beverage: Unique Rogers Park restaurants and bars contribute to the neighborhood flavor with food and beverage booths.

For more information, call 773-761-4477 x701 or visit www.GlenwoodAve.org. Admission is free to the public.

GAAF is made possible by the generous and enthusiastic support of the local business community. Neighborhood commercial sponsors provide the support to maintain festival costs, ensuring that artist participation fees are low and that the Fest remains free to visitors. There is no Fest admission charge, suggested donation or gated point of entry and all the outdoor performance events are free to view. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to purchase arts and crafts, food and beverages from the vendor stands.

Sponsors: SSA #24; Lifeline Theatre; Heartland Café; The Glenwood Bar; Rogers Park Social; R Public House; JB Alberto's Pizza; Morse Fresh Market; Emil Bach House; Al Goldberg, ArtSpace RP; Chicago Condo Management & Maintenance Co.; 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore; Rogers Park Business Alliance; ComEd; Cagan Management Group, Inc.; Common Cup; Fung's Mandarin; Kelly Cassidy, State Representative, 14th District and State Senator Heather Steans, 7th District; Glenwood Dance Studio and Centered Studios; Meyer Electrical Construction, Inc.; Connie Abels - RE/MAX NorthCoast; Rogers Park Builders Group; Chiro One Wellness; Dave Frederickson Agency State Farm; Sweet Home Properties, Inc.; Alpha Adjusting, Inc.; Clark-Devon Hardware; Blyumin Foot & Ankle Clinic; Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin; along with countless volunteers and artisans.

Rogers Park is the most culturally and economically diverse neighborhood in Chicago. Located in the far northeast corner of the city, more than 80 languages are spoken among the community's 63,000 residents. Rogers Park celebrates diversity and harmonious living. "In a city made famous for an accepted and often enforced cultural and socio-economic homogeneity within neighborhoods," said the Chicago Tribune, "Rogers Park stands almost alone as an exception." The Daily Herald reporTEd Rogers Park, on the north edge of Chicago, offers an urban vibe, intimate but exciting theater, a variety of live music, good restaurants and largely free parking, and the glorious Lake Michigan beachfront open to all."

Glenwood Avenue Arts District features artist studios, music venues, and numerous restaurants and bars. The Rogers Park neighborhood is also well known for its theaters, including Lifeline Theatre, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, the side project, BoHo Theatre, and The Factory Theater, which make up one of the city's hottest theater corridors and are regularly recognized by the Jeff Awards. "For pure Chicago heart, soul and polished grit, the Glenwood Avenue Arts District in Rogers Park is our favorite new destination" (Chicago Magazine).

GAAF 2016 Planning Committee: Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest is a broad-based, grassroots, non-profit event planned and staffed by volunteers, dedicated to remaining free to the public, offering low participation fees to artists, showcasing the artists and venues of the Glenwood Avenue Arts District, and retaining the unique and eclectic character of the neighborhood. The GAAF 2016 planning committee is Gregory Altman, Mary Bao, Les Begay, Diana Berek, Erica Foster, Jim Ginderske, Alan J. Goldberg, Dorothy Milne, Sydney Rosenfeld, and Tom Rosenfeld. The Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest is a community partnership with Lifeline Theatre, a 501(c)3 organization.

Photo courtesy Lifeline Theatre.

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