What’s Blooming on Harrison 2024 – Lineup Announced! 🎶
Get ready to celebrate spring at the annual What’s Blooming on Harrison, happening RAIN OR SHINE on Saturday, May 18, 2024, in the vibrant Oak Park Arts District! From 11 AM to 7 PM, with our Beer Garden and Music Stage jamming out until 9 PM, this is an event you won’t want to miss.
Here’s what’s on tap for this year’s festival
Art & Craft Galore: Wander through over 120 booths featuring the best in local art, crafts, and small businesses at our Vendor Fair.
Live Music All Day: Our Music Stage is set with a full lineup of bands and solo acts ready to rock your socks off.
Feast Your Heart Out: Enjoy tasty food from local restaurants, food trucks, and vendors.
Cheers to Local Brews: Sip on craft beers from the renowned Kinslahger brewery in our Beer Garden.
Family Fun: Don’t miss the Kiddie Carnival with beloved rides, fun games, and fabulous prizes for the little ones.
Art Auction Extravaganza: Take part in our Art Auction where you can view and bid on stunning artworks from talented local artists.
Come out to support the Arts, Community, and the Oak Park Arts District. Bring your friends, family, and festive spirits to enjoy a day packed with entertainment, art, and community vibes.
Stage Lineup is Set
Check out the video below to get a feel for this fun and family-friendly fest!
Thank you to our Sponsors who make this Event Possible!
Oak Park’s Largest and Favorite Spring street festival is in Full Bloom!
Since 1999, Harrison Street between Humphrey and Culyer is transformed every May with Booths including an art fair, crafter booths, local business booths, food vendors, children’s carnival rides, an art auction, craft beer garden, and entertainment stage for the WHAT’S BLOOMING STREET FESTIVAL.
Showcase your Art, Talent or Business at the Vendor Fair
Unleash your creativity and shine bright at our Vendor Fair! Whether you’re an artist, maker, or a budding entrepreneur, this is your chance showcase your craft to a vibrant community of enthusiasts. We are now accepting Art Vendors, Food Vendors, Community Booths, and Art Auction Submissions for the What’s Blooming. Complete the form by Saturday, April 6, to be included in all the pre-event promotion.
Save the date and gather your friends and neighbors for What’s Blooming
Get ready to enjoy the Oak Park Arts District’s signature event with over 5000 people expected to attend. What’s Blooming is a day filled with amazing artisans and makers tents, fun, food, music, and good neighborhood vibes from 11 am to 7 pm.
As the sun goes down, the tunes crank up, and our craft beer garden keeps the good times flowing until 9 pm.
The Arts District was buzzing with YELLOW on Saturday as shoppers visited the many women-owned businesses in celebration of our 7th annual WOW event.
Celebrating Women’s History and Unique Women-Owned Businesses
Each year in March, the Oak Park Arts District celebrates Women’s History Month with their WOW! Women Owned Works event. Gail Coughlin, owner of Elevate Creative (321 Harrison Street) was inspired to start the event in 2017 after the Women’s March.
“I thought it would be a good opportunity to celebrate all the women-owned businesses in the arts district—the most of any business district in Oak Park,” said Gail. “It was not a happy time and I wanted to bring something positive to the neighborhood.” Yellow was chosen as the signature color for the event. “It’s happy and cheerful. It’s bright and attention-grabbing,” said Gail.
Event Highlights
Below are some highlights from the event that were captured by the Village of Oak Park and PickOakPark.
Bead in Hand Specialty Shop
Ceramics at Fifty Fifty-First Street Studio
Creative Art Therapists at Mosaic
Fine Art at Expressions Graphics
Arts and Jewelry at Purple Moon Studio
Delicious Pies at Happy Apple Pie Shop
Colorful Crafting at Dye Hard Yarns
Girl Scout Cookies at Laura Maychruk Real Estate
Create and Meditate at Natalie Walsh Design Studio
It’s time for a little Sippin’ & Shoppin’ in the Oak Park Arts District! Come to our first annual Art & Wine Walk! on Saturday, Dec 16 from 3-7pm. It’s the perfect time to treat yourself to some wonderful wines, magnificent art, delicious hors d’oeuvres and great holiday shopping – all in the historic Oak Park Arts District! We are thrilled to be partnering with a local gem, Anfora Wine Merchants for this inaugural event. Support artists and local businesses all while treating yourself to a fun afternoon out.
Tickets are $40 and include a wine glass, complimentary tastings throughout the participating locations, a wine tote, box of water, and a bottle of wine to be picked up later at Anfora Wine Merchants! There will also be small bites, music, and sales throughout the Oak Park Arts District businesses. Get your tickets now before this event sells out. Check In for the event will be at Laura Maychruk Real Estate at 911 S Lombard Ave.
All ticket-holders must be of legal drinking age (21+). ID’s will be checked at check-in.
There are no refunds or credits.
This event takes place rain or shine.
All tastings will take place within the businesses on the route. A final route map will be provided at check-in. Businesses listed on the route are subject to change.
Servers will not serve anyone who appears intoxicated. Participants must empty their glasses before exiting each establishment. Each stop should provide a container for you to dispose of any samples that you do not want to finish. Open container laws strictly prohibit consumption of alcohol outside of our designated participating locations. You are liable for any punishment or fines should you fail to adhere with the law.
By buying tickets you acknowledge compliance with these terms.
By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for The Buzz Cafe
What’s Blooming on Harrison has become Oak Park’s largest street festival. This year’s event is on Saturday, May 20, and runs from 11am to 7pm. The Craft Beer Garden and Main Stage will operate until 9pm. Presenting sponsors Byline Bank, Mosaic Counseling & Wellness, Oak Park Apartments, and Oak Park Bank will help ensure the festival’s success.
Started in 1999, the festival has grown and now includes an art fair, entertainment stage, craft beer garden, kiddie carnival, and silent auction. Over 100 booths will line Harrison Street from Humphrey to Highland. Among the vendors are several Oak Park Arts District businesses as well as other local artists, non-profit organizations, and commercial businesses.
Carey Carlock, the co-founder of presenting sponsor Mosaic Counseling & Wellness, had this to say about the event, “We will have members of our team meeting and greeting and chatting up mental wellness. We will have face painting and mental health awareness bracelets, stickers, and stress balls. … As an integrated therapy practice, we fervently believe in healing through the arts. We are proud to have four art therapists and two dance movement therapists on our team.”
The festival’s Main Stage will have various groups performing throughout the day. Described as a “wildflower bouquet of local musicians,” the stage will have family programming from 11am-2pm, followed by the School of Rock Show Team, Dozen Buzzin’ Cousins, David Singer, Summer Drive, and then headliner The Crombies at 7:45pm. “Get your dancing shoes on!” said Annette Coffee, the Oak Park Arts District Marketing Coordinator.
This year’s Beer Garden will have craft beer from Kinslahger Brewing Company. “We are thrilled to have Kinslahger beers at What’s Blooming this year. It’s awesome to have such an amazing brewery that is such a great neighbor!” said Trevor Toppen, festival committee member and owner of Val’s halla Records.
Food vendors will include Oak Park Arts District favorites Buzz Café, Mora Oak Park, Taco Mucho, The Happy Apple Pie Shop, and Trattoria 225. Other food options will be available too, including Babygold Barbecue and Candycopia.
For families, the kiddie carnival rides won’t disappoint. Tickets are $1.25 each or a book of 20 will be available for $22. Each ride costs three tickets. Although tickets are cash only, there will be an ATM available.
New this year is a silent auction that will be set up in the Oak Park Arts District Business Association tent. Items available include artwork from Steve Fischer, Karen Schuman, Janice Elkins, Kim Humphrey, Marion Sirefman, Ann Viernes, Ken Reif, and Mimi Comerford.
This year’s What’s Blooming poster features a rendering of an original piece called “Surrounded by Grace” by local artist Annette Zwierzchowski Donlin. The painting is a very personal one by Donlin that she created after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I turned to my art to help heal not only my body but also my spirit. [The painting] helped me understand that life is about moments and trying to really be present in the moment we are in. … I thought about all my ancestors, our Creator, all the positive energy I have around me. It was a creation of prayer for me; a meditation of optimism, beauty, and God’s grace … inviting all into my soul to help me heal,”said Donlin.
Festival committee member and local resident Mimi Comerford was thankful for the help of their volunteers, “So much goes into making this festival happen and we are grateful for all the help we get from our community. Without our volunteers we could never make this happen.”
Admission is free. For more information about What’s Blooming on Harrison, visit the Oak Park Arts District website at www.oakparkartsdistrict.com.
Visit the Oak Park Arts District during Harvest on Harrison to Find Yourself Smiling on Harrison Street! Art from the Smiles Project will be displayed in the windows and some interiors of businesses up and down the District beginning Saturday, October 17th. What’s the Smiles Project? Click HERE for a pdf on how to participate or keep reading!
Masked up and on the street, help us document the project on social media using hashtags #smilesonharrison and #harvestonharrison. Follow the same tags for up to date information on special events businesses are planning.
Harvest on Harrison runs from Saturday, October 17th through Sunday, October 25th. During shop hours or whenever you feel like taking a walk!
CALLING ALL ARTISTS
Professional and Amateur, ages 2 – 102
From the Oak Park Arts District
www.oakparkartsdistrict.com
For many years, the Oak Park Arts District celebrated every fall with Art on Harrison, an event highlighting the variety of arts represented along the street. Several years ago, we switched gears and created Harvest on Harrison to celebrate not just the arts but the good fortune of all of our thriving businesses. In early 2020, we were hard at work planning our increasingly popular spring festival What’s Blooming on Harrison when everything changed. As we shut down and sheltered in place, we watched our businesses bloom in ways we’d never imagined just to survive. Most of our businesses were able to reopen because of the amazing support shown by customers, clients and friends. We are even welcoming new businesses to the street! We have a reason this fall to celebrate Harvest on Harrison and we want to do it with you and your art. YEAH, YOUR ART!
You support us in so many ways and right now one of the most crucial ways is by wearing a mask when you frequent Harrison Street. You keep yourself healthy, you keep our staffs healthy, you keep our businesses healthy. But… WE MISS YOUR SMILES. And we want to create a public art project that turns that missing feeling upside down.
Mission: Create a masterpiece depicting your smile. A self portrait but maybe just your grin- with braces, with dentures, eating pie, wearing bright red lipstick, definitely flossed. If you’re on a roll, you can create more than one! Sub-mission: Tell all your artist friends because we want tons of art!
Mediums & Materials: Drawn, painted, photographed, screen printed, collaged, crayons, acrylics, pencils, canvas, markers, construction paper, clay, beads, buttons, wood scraps, oils, found objects, macaroni…. No smaller than a postcard, no bigger than a record album. Able to be displayed with tape, by propping, with string or wire, in rare occurrences by someone on a ladder with a hammer and nails.
Site: The windows and counters of the studios, salons, gyms, shops, restaurants, maybe even the dry cleaners of the Oak Park Arts District.
Application: There isn’t one! Everyone’s accepted!
But: Designs must be original with no advertisements, logos or website information on them. Artists may sign their work. Art will be reviewed for Appropriateness to Public Presentation which sounds serious because it is. The artwork becomes the property of the Oak Park Arts District and may be used in marketing.
Schedule: Well, it’s tight but we have full confidence in you. Please deliver your works by Thursday, October 15th, in person or by mail to: Bead in Hand, 145 Harrison Street, Oak Park, IL 60304. 708.848.1761. www.beadinhand.com
Harvest on Harrison begins on Saturday, October 17th. Follow #harvestonharrison, #smilesonharrison for event details. Questions? Email Laurel Wolff at laurel@oakparkartsdistrict.com
