Old Town Art Fair draws crowds to historic Chicago neighborhood

The Old Town Art Fair was under way this weekend in one of Chicago's most historic neighborhoods.

The volunteer-run event brings more than 200 artists to the Old Town Triangle area.

This year, artists' booths are lined up along Wisconsin Street, Orleans Street, Lincoln Park West, Menomonee Street, and North Park Avenue. The artists work in all different media, from painting, drawing, photography and sculpture, to metal, jewelry, glass and wood, among others.

The event also features a garden walk, in which 66 gardens — most in private backyards — are open for public viewing.

The event also features live music at the Plaza Stage at Wisconsin and Orleans streets, and the Food Court Stage at North Park and St. Paul avenues.

Children's theater and other family activities are also available at the Children's Corner at Sedgwick and Wisconsin streets.

The Old Town Triangle District is a historic residential area bounded by Clark Street, North Avenue, and the former path of Ogden Avenue. Ogden Avenue used to run northeast-southwest through Old Town and into Cabrini-Green, and then rose over a viaduct above Halsted and Division streets and Goose Island before returning to ground level at Sangamon Street in West Town. But with the exception of one section near Clybourn Avenue, all of Ogden Avenue northeast of the Chicago River's North Branch was later eliminated.

In addition to the Old Town Triangle, Old Town also includes the vibrant business strip along Wells Street south to Division Street — once the center of hippie counterculture, today an upscale retail district. Old Town is split between the Lincoln Park and Near North community areas.

The Encyclopedia of Chicago says the Old Town Art Fair began in 1950 along a couple of blocks on Lincoln Park West.