Custer Fair LLC, Evanston, IL
Visitors to Custer's Last Stand are happy to be there. Smiles greet you wherever you go. From the historic Main St. and Chicago Ave. store buildings to the tree lined Washington St. residential area you can find places to please. 250 Artists and craftspeople from across the nation come together on the third weekend of June every year to exhibit and sell paintings, ceramics, pottery, photographs, jewelry, graphic arts, wearable art, country and home craft, antiques and collectables. They are joined by 150 local businesses and commercial exhibitors who put on an old fashioned Sidewalk Sale.
Over 30 food vendors offer a full international menu featuring the old favorites as well as new fare. All reasonably priced.
The entertainment at Custer's Last Stand amazes and delights. The Festival Stage has featured some of Chicagoland's jazz legends like FlashBack Chicago, The Terré Cohen Orchestra conducted by Rich Maisel, Bopology, Blake and Blue, Jack Hubble Jazz Outfit, and John Temmerman's Jazz Obsession Quartet. It has also featured Canadian folk star David Francey, Wailin' Walter, the Kent McDaniel Band, the Shoreliner Chorus and Billy J. Ivers & The Lonesome City Bluegrass Band. The Show Stage features a Native American Pow Wow on both days put on by The American Indian Center. Also featured are festival favorite Kraig Kenning, Christopher Greene & New Perspective. Then there is the all female Hurricane Saxophone Quartet. The Mark Cleveland Band gets everybody on their feet. This stage has featured the likes of Corky Siegel and Frank Donaldson who brought down the house.
In Eiden Park the kids have a great time enjoying the kid centered exhibits, receiving free balloon sculptures from the terrific teen clowns of Starfish Learning Center, and enjoying the amazing Jugglerman-Adam Zeisler. If that were not enough the Piccolo Theatre presents Prof. Theophilis Leaming's Medicine Show Extravaganza. Fifty variety performers perform throughout the fair amazing their audiences with juggling, magic, comedy, music, aerial acts and stage shows in the theatre in the Evanston Arts Depot.
Come to the fair. See old friends and make new friends. As the Chicago Sun-Times says, come and ..."Romp-Stomp and Shop at Custer's Last Stand." While visiting Main Street Station Shopping District and the Custer Fair be sure to check out the theatre offerings of the Piccolo Theatre at PiccoloTheatre.com. The Piccolo Theatre performs in their intimate theatre in the Evanston Arts Depot.
