Buffalo Grove fine arts fest back for 10th straight year

Artists and art enthusiasts alike are gearing up for the 10th annual Buffalo Grove Invitational Fine Art Festival, which returns to the main drive of Buffalo Grove Town Center Saturday and Sunday, July 16-17. The show is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days,

Currently rated as one of the top 50 art festivals in the country, the Buffalo Grove Invitational hosts more than 160 juried artists from around the globe. Artwork of all mediums is available, including ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, sculpture, mixed media, paintings, drawings, photography, wood and furniture.

Admission is free; artwork ranges from $20 to $2,000 and up.

Festival-goers will enjoy a behind the scenes look at how the artists make their original works with interactive art demos and booth chats taking place at the festival. Ceramicists, photographers, jewelers, painters and other artists will host these special events in their booths throughout the weekend.

A schedule, which includes times and booth numbers, can be found on-site in the art festival program.

In addition to the juried artists, the festival will also host two groups of visiting artists. “Unique Expressions: A Showcase of Local Artists with Special Needs” will be on-site Saturday. Young artists ages 6 to 18 will display their work Sunday in the Youth Art Division of the festival.

While the artwork is the focal point of the festival, there is also food, including fresh fruit smoothies, Greek fare, ice cream, homemade root beer and other festival favorites.

Enjoy live performances from Chicago’s favorite acoustic rock duo Cirrus Falcon, Grammy-nominated musician David Young and the singer-songwriter duo Jeff Libman and Brad Cole, who make up the band Check with Lucy.

Kids can explore the festival while working on an art scavenger hunt. Other free activities include scratch-off drawings, paper hat making and decorating a planter box, which children take home.

The Buffalo Grove Town Center is at Lake Cook Road and Route 83 (McHenry Road) in Buffalo Grove. Admission and parking are free, with more than 1,000 free parking spaces available in the Buffalo Grove Town Center lots adjacent to the festival.

For details about the Buffalo Grove Invitational Fine Art Festival or Amdur Productions Inc., call (847) 926-4300, email info@amdurproductions.com or visit www.amdurproductions.com.