Do Division Street Fest
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Do Division Street Fest is a diverse street festival featuring dedicated areas for family games, unique art vendors, live music stages, and even animals. While some reviews highlight its appeal for both kids and adults with great food and affordable art, others report significant concerns regarding extreme crowding, a negative social atmosphere, and disruptive operational issues, especially in the evenings.
Key Highlights
- ✓Dedicated street for "family games and fun" (Review 1).
- ✓Unique art from various booths and vendors (Review 1).
- ✓Lymelite Studio street art truck offers "amazing pieces that are actually affordable" (Review 5).
- ✓"Phenomenal" food options available (Review 1).
- ✓Animals present, appealing to children (Review 1).
- ✓Live music, with the "far West stage" noted for "best sound and newer acts" (Review 2).
Standout Features
- ⭐Dedicated street for "family games and fun" providing child-specific activities (Review 1).
- ⭐Opportunity to view and purchase unique, "affordable" art from various vendors, including Lymelite Studio (Reviews 1, 5).
- ⭐Live music stages, with the "far West stage" highlighted for quality sound and diverse acts (Review 2).
- ⭐Presence of animals (Review 1).
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Verify the address beforehand; the correct one for the festival is 2000 W Division St** to avoid travel issues (Review 4).
- →Consider visiting at times other than the evening if you wish to avoid peak crowds and a potentially less friendly atmosphere (Review 4).
- →Be prepared for security personnel potentially being pushy for donations upon entry (Review 3).
Things to Consider
- ⚠The "Kids Fest street takeover is terrible," with reports of property damage (broken bushes, a large tree damaged and cut down during unloading) (Review 3).
- ⚠Security is reportedly "pushy for donations" when residents attempt to enter their own streets (Review 3).
- ⚠"Locked in street" prevents deliveries (Amazon, etc.) for residents, indicating potential access difficulties for locals (Review 3).
- ⚠Can be "too crowded" and have "too many people," making it "easy to step on someone’s toes" (Review 4).
- ⚠Reports of a negative social atmosphere with "mean and callous people" and difficulty socializing (Review 4).
- ⚠Incorrect address initially provided by some sources, causing a "waste of Uber ride." The correct address is 2000 W Division St (Review 4).
Price & Value
No general admission price or specific activity costs were mentioned. Art pieces from Lymelite Studio are described as "actually affordable" (Review 5). Food is available but no specific pricing.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations mentioned. As a street festival, accessibility may vary with street conditions.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •"Phenomenal" food is available for purchase on-site (Review 1). No mention of outside food policy.
🚗Parking Info
- •No specific parking information for visitors. Street access for residents is a significant concern, with a "locked in street" and pushy security creating difficulties (Review 3). One reviewer mentioned a wasted Uber ride due to an incorrect address (Review 4), implying ride-sharing or street parking are common options, potentially with challenges.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Highly variable reports: "phenomenal crowd of people" (positive context, Review 1), "not overly crowded most of the time" (Review 2), but "too crowded" and "too many people" reported, especially in the evening (Review 4). This suggests crowd levels depend heavily on the time of day and specific areas.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Security personnel are present (Review 3), but their behavior (pushy for donations, blocking residents) is noted as a concern rather than a positive safety measure for visitors. No other specific safety measures for visitors or children were mentioned.
⏰When to Avoid
- • **Evenings, if you dislike heavy crowds, difficulty socializing, or reports of a negative social atmosphere** (Review 4).
- • If you are a local resident living on the street, due to issues with street access, deliveries, and security (Review 3).
- • If you are easily put off by pushy security tactics for donations (Review 3).
- • If you are concerned about potential property damage or large-scale disruptions associated with street takeovers (Review 3).
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Do Division Street Fest
Friday, May 30: 5-10PM; Saturday & Sunday, May 31 & June 1: 12-10PM
Suggested Donation: $10 (not required)
Annual street festival featuring two live music stages programmed by The Empty Bottle and Subterranean, local restaurants, food trucks, food vendors, West Town retail vendors, corporate sponsors, and local artists. Includes the Family Fun Fest and Do Fashion. Donations help cover event costs and benefit local non-profits. Beneficiaries include LaSalle II Magnet School, A.N. Pritzker School, Jose De Diego Community Academy, Erie House, Esperanza Community Services, and Nourishing Hope.
Family Fun Fest
May 30 - June 1 (during main festival hours)
Included with festival entry (suggested donation)
A kid-friendly event within the festival, complete with its own vendors and live entertainment stage. Features attractions such as a Petting Zoo, Mega Slide, and Rocking Kids' Music.
Do Fashion
May 30 - June 1 (during main festival hours)
Included with festival entry (suggested donation)
A runway fashion show organized and sponsored by Dynamic Salon, showcasing local retailers and boutiques during sidewalk sales on Division Street between Ashland and Leavitt.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Well-behaved dogs on leashes are permitted.
📅Booking Policy
- • The $10 suggested donation is not required, as the event takes place in the public way. Entrance gate staff will suggest donations, which help cover event costs and benefit local non-profits.
🚗Parking Information
- • Plenty of non-metered street parking in the area, but no designated parking.
- • Designated bike parking is available at Damen and Division.
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Can get crowded during peak times (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Chris Velez
6 years agoOverall, I believe it is safe to say the food, crowd of people, and even the animals were phenomenal. The festival had a street for adults an another for family games and fun. I enjoyed the unique art that each booth had to offer along with the music.
Dano J. Steger
11 months agoThe far West stage always has the best sound and newer acts. Not overly crowded most of the time.
Franzl Eberhard
8 months agoThe Kids Fest street takeover is terrible. They broke bushes and hit a large tree unloading and the tree had to be cut down due to the damage. The security treats the streets residents terrible being pushy for donations when entering our own street. The locked in street also does not allow any Amazon or other deliveries. We will be organizing a petition to the Alderman to move this to another location in the future we hate it! Many people even go away for the weekend to avoid it it is so bad.
Ritvik Nag
8 months agoCame here at evening with cousin. First of all, the address is incorrect. There was nothing happened at this location. Waste of Uber ride. The correct address is: 2000 W Division St Second, this Grand Joke of a street fest is too crowded. Too many people and easy to step on someone’s toes, both figuratively and literally. Third, probably the Last Insult or straw that broke the camel’s back as it were, but a lot of mean and callous people here. Also it’s extremely hard to socialize with any group at length, so it’s hard to join a convo that’s going on. To give a more concrete example, I went into a shop with an intent to purchase some goods, in strolled in a couple and essentially avoided eye contact with me completely, and made me feel small and insignificant, and pretty bad about myself and self image as it were. Essentially, they treated me badly. That is just one example but you get the gist. I try to review any place honestly, and this is my honest take on it. The vibes of the “festival” didn’t agree with me at all. In short, this “Street Fest” was the opposite of fun and was a total disaster. I did not enjoy it one bit, and will likely not be coming back. Nice try, “Street Fest” of Chicago. Should be called “Mean Ridicule Fest”. Ridiculous, like a dude in a clown outfit giving you life advice. Total swing and miss!
Neil Chamness
5 years agoWe go to this fest every year it's great for kids and adults. We loved seeing Lymelite Studio street art truck, he always has such amazing pieces that are actually affordable.