Logan Square residents gathered this weekend for the first‑ever Armitage County Fair, a new neighborhood celebration that blends classic fair traditions with a distinctly Chicago flavor. The two‑day event runs from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday and until 9 p.m. on Sunday, occupying the closed‑to‑traffic stretch of Armitage Avenue between California Avenue and Humboldt Boulevard.
Music, Food and Family Fun
Sixteen bands perform across two stages, with headliners La Luz and Sun Ra Arkestra anchoring a lineup that includes Hazel City, Al Scorch, The Sidepieces and Cabeza de Chivo. Fourteen of the sixteen acts are local, many of which have previously played at the nearby Middle Brow venue.
Food vendors showcase a mix of neighborhood favorites: Osteria Langhe, Giant, Lonesome Rose, Offset BBQ, Parson’s, Table Donkey Stick, Bar Parisette, Gretl, Bucktown’s Le Bouchon, The Fish Guy and Pretty Cool Ice Cream. Beer lovers can sample limited‑edition taps from Middle Brow, while Marz Community Brewing Co. offers THC‑infused drinks and Apologue presents a specialty cocktail cooler.
For a playful Chicago twist, fairgoers can compete in a giardiniera‑eating contest and a “best dog dressed as a farm animal” showdown. A baby‑lookalike contest honors Governor JB Pritzker, and a kid‑friendly pie‑eating contest welcomes children three and under.
Free Wellness Services
A self‑care tent, organized by local business owner Cameron Lacy of Intuit Healing, provides complimentary wellness services from nearby practitioners. Attendees can enjoy yoga, Pilates, massage therapy, sound baths, facials and pottery classes. The tent also features an “ask your therapist” panel with specialists in couples and sex therapy, OCD treatment and EMDR (eye‑movement desensitization and reprocessing).
“There’s nothing more important, especially in this age of social media and robots, than for people to come together,” said Pete Ternes, Middle Brow Bungalow owner and co‑initiator of the fair. Ternes, who also serves as treasurer of the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce, noted that the fair was organized in just three months—a rapid effort compared to the year‑long planning typical of larger street festivals.
Community Support and Funding
The fair aims to raise funds for the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce, with a suggested $10 donation from each visitor. “This is a fundraiser for the chamber ultimately and the more money it gets, the more work it can do to help businesses in the neighborhood,” Ternes explained.
Local businesses see the event as a chance to revive a stretch of Armitage that was hard‑hit by a recent water‑pipe repair project that closed half the street and eliminated parking for 18 months. “That crushed a lot of businesses on Armitage, including ours,” Ternes said, adding that the fair demonstrates how small enterprises can lift each other up.
How to Attend
Admission to the fair is free. Parents who wish to enter their children in the pie‑eating contest can sign up online. For a full schedule, band lineup and vendor list, visit the Armitage County Fair website.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
