Over 60 vendors of arts and oddities to line Elgin’s Riverside Drive for annual Area 22 fair

Downtown Elgin goes otherworldly on Saturday, Aug. 8, when the third annual Area 22 Arts, Crafts + Oddities Fair touches down on Riverside Drive.

Event organizer Tanner Melvin said the free event from 1 to 7 p.m. will feature more than 60 artist vendors and a variety of out-of-the-ordinary attractions.

“Our cosponsorship with and support from the city of Elgin has really allowed us to strengthen and grow the fair by adding more food vendors and a new community paint-by-numbers mural designed and created by Adam Grewenig, all the while marketing to new territories that have increased foot traffic for the event as well as downtown,” Melvin said.

Grewenig is part of the volunteer committee that put together this year’s fair. Other members include local artist Cristina Colunga and five members of the Side Street Studio Arts staff: co-founders and executive directors Melvin and Erin Rehberg, Director of Operations Jess Rocha, Director of Programming Nick Mataragas and Exhibitions Coordinator Andrew Vo.

Also new this year, Melvin said, is a “Stay and Play” campaign that organizers created to not just draw people to the event but get them to spend more time enjoying what downtown Elgin has to offer.

For that effort, Side Street worked with Explore Elgin Area and Quality Inn Elgin I-90 to secure a limited number of courtesy rooms at $89 per night for out-of-towners who are attending Area 22 and the Elgin Fringe Festival in September.

New food vendors include Girl’s Got Balls Food Truck, which sells gluten-free arancini (Italian rice balls); Goose’s Natural Juices, which specializes in juices, Italian ice and snow cones; La Cocinata Familiar, offering Mexican and Guatemalan food; and Uncle B’s Smoke & Fire selling Southern-style barbecue.

“Martini Room will be back providing specialty beverages and cocktails,” Melvin said. “And we will be hosting a number of roving performers, including the hilarious improvised mariachi group Los Improviachis, clowning by 1NB, tarot reading by Luiza Moraes, and henna artwork by Wardah Mohammed.”

Among the artists selling their works will be Area 22 veterans Kersten Peterson, owner and artist of Punkburd Arts, and Bradley Cahill, whose sculpture studio is called The Church of Dust.

On taking part in Area 22, Peterson said, “I really love space and weird things. It reflects a lot in my own artwork, where I have birds in space and animals being abducted. So when I saw the advertisement, it just felt like a great fit for my kind of art.”

Peterson will be selling mini paintings, art prints, patches, stickers, coloring books and key chains featuring birds and other animals in weird and fun scenarios.

“I’m looking forward to seeing all the art,” she said. “Every year, there are so many great artists that attend. I love seeing all the weird pieces and merchandise they have to offer.”

Cahill said Side Street Studio Arts has given him many opportunities over the years to show his work in various group exhibitions.

“So when this art fair was announced, I was eager to be involved,” he said. “It’s been a really good experience, and I’m glad to be accepted once again.”

Cahill said Area 22 is a well-organized show a with an energetic vibe that attracts a wide array of artists in different media and fresh ideas.

“I will be showing stone figure sculptures and always look forward to chatting with the other artists and attendees,” he said. “My studio practice is very solitary, and I appreciate the opportunity to get out of my cave and interact with like-minded people.”

Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The (Elgin) Courier-News.

Area 22 Arts, Crafts + Oddities Fair

When: 1-7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8

Where: Riverside Drive in downtown Elgin

Admission: Free

For a list of vendors: sidestreetstudioarts.org/area22