Side Street Studio Arts to host AREA 22 Arts, Crafts & Oddities Fair

Side Street Studio Arts, in conjunction with the City of Elgin and the Downtown Neighborhood Association, will host AREA 22 Arts, Crafts, & Oddities Fair on Saturday, Aug. 3, from noon to 8 p.m.

AREA 22 will serve as the premiere fine arts, crafts, and oddities fair in the Fox Valley. The festival will take place on Riverside Drive in downtown Elgin, showcasing the creations and collections of visual artists in our area.

AREA 22 will feature 50 artist-vendors exhibiting and selling their works, live art making, entertainment, food vendors, beverages, and fun for the whole family. The event, which is free and open to the public, will occur rain or shine.

“For those who can remember, think of AREA 22 as Art and Soul on The Fox meets Next Wave, a mix of the traditional fine-art fair concept, with a generous dusting of the eclectic and avant-garde,” said Tanner Melvin, Side Street founder and executive director. “So, grab your kids, parents, neighbors, pets … yes, dogs and snakes are allowed, and join us for an exciting art fair experience!”

“The DNA’s Downtown Elgin Market has really set the bar for how great events on Riverside Drive can be, and we wanted to continue that positive energy,” Melvin said. “As we begin development on our new building at 62 S. Grove Ave., hosting an event at our back door on Riverside Drive was a no-brainer.”

Downtown neighbors Vern’s Tavern will be providing beverages at the event, with a special “Ecto Cooler” as well as free tastings of the new Side Street Lager by Penrose Brewing from noon to 4 p.m., and an official after-party from 8 to 11 p.m. at Vern’s.

Special guests include Cook’s Ice Cream, Goose’s Natural Juices, PADS of Elgin’s Gnomes For Homes, Radically Rachael, the Elgin Fringe Festival, Side Street’s “mini-MADE” store, and our newest downtown collaborators High Haven.

In concert with the event, Side Street will open their newest exhibit, “Material Messengers: Ephemeral Environments,” on Friday, Aug. 2. The site-specific installations in this show highlight the importance of Side Street Studio Arts in the cultural and built environments of historic downtown Elgin.

Curated by Samuel Schwindt, artists Catie Burrill, Jordan Miller, Juliette Morris, Lucia Calderon Arrierta, Sarah Whyte, and Spencer Gale are an interdisciplinary group investigating space literally and figuratively. Opening reception is Friday, Aug. 2, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Side Street Gallery.

Side Street Studio Arts at 15 Ziegler Court in Elgin advances engagement in the arts by providing inclusive access to exhibition, performance, education, and advocacy resources, because art is important.

For more information on AREA 22 or any of Side Street’s programs, visit www.sidestreetstudioarts.org, call (847) 429-2276 or email info@sidestreetstudioarts.org.