Old Town Art Fair, Wells Street Art Festival to bring crowds to Old Town this weekend

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The nationally-acclaimed Old Town Art Fair kicked off Friday with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.

Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) were among those who cut the ribbon.

The 72nd Old Town Art Fair will be hosting more than 200 artists from the U.S. and Canada throughout the weekend. The artists work in all different media – painting, photography, printmaking, drawing and pastel, digital art, mixed media, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, wood, glass, fiber, stone, and metal.

It is held in the Old Town Triangle Area off Lincoln Avenue, with booths on Wisconsin Street, Menomonee Street, Orleans Street, North Park Avenue, and Lincoln Park West.

Also part of the event is a self-guided Garden Walk in which 52 select gardens in the neighborhood are participating.

Two music stages will also be set up – at North Park and St. Paul avenues at the food court, and at Wisconsin and Orleans streets.

At Sedgwick and Wisconsin streets, the Children's Corner will feature a magic show, kids' music theater, and grab-and-go art projects.

The Old Town Art Fair is the main fundraiser for the Old Town Triangle Association. Proceeds go back to the community through grants to schools, charities, and other nonprofits.

The Old Town Art Fair is one of two art fairs in Old Town this weekend. Also on tap is the Wells Street Art Festival, which begins Saturday at 10 a.m.

The Wells Street Art Festival runs along Wells Street from North Avenue to Division Street. It features juried artists from across the continent and also working in a vast variety of disciplines – as well as a music performance stage behind O'Brien's Restaurant at 1528 N. Wells St.

A children's play area is also available at Wells Street and Evergreen Avenue – where kids can work on arts and crafts, participate in a performance, or "just goof off."