Bucktown Arts Fest – Our Favorite Neighborhood Event

Bucktown may not be the most well – known Chicago neighborhood (even though we think it’s the best) but we do get to boast one of  the best festivals of the summer: the Bucktown Arts Fest. Here are a few things we love about it:

-Close to Ray’s Bucktown Bed and Breakfast (aka us, duh)
-Vendors from all over the country with quality products and a variety you won’t see at the standard street festivals (looking at you Do Division & West Fest)
-Smaller, more intimate setting and a true neighborhood feel
-FREE – no pressure for a “donation” that other fests will make you feel is mandatory
-It helps fund great neighborhood initiatives, like art classes, the neighborhood pool, and summer day camp.

If you are looking to see what kind of vendors they have, here are a couple of our favorites:

Bella Joy Pottery – Ceramics artist with some great whimsical designs, we especially love the coffee mugs
Alter Images – This artist does some crazy cool stuff with digital art
Vault Furniture – August and September are 2 of the biggest moving months here in Chicago – this furniture artist may have the perfect piece for your new place
Mosaic Art Professionals – I tried taking a mosaics class once, I dropped out after 3 weeks because I was not immediately good at it, this place makes me wish I stuck with it.
Rebel Nell – Great mission behind this Detroit – based business.
And of course countless more Jewelry/Fine art vendors and artists. Check out the full list here.

While we are stoked for this weekend, and you’ll see us walking around in our Ray’s B&B T-shirts handing out some discount cards, we are of course keeping our door open for those who may want a tour of the B&B.

As always: #stayatrays