Wells Street Art Festival 2026

The Wells Street Art Festival is celebrating its 51st year in 2026 on the vibrant Wells Street Commercial Corridor in Old Town, one of Chicago's most historic and artistically rich neighborhoods. This juried festival, held on June 13th and 14th, 2026, transforms Wells Street into an open-air gallery showcasing fine art and original work from both established and emerging artists across the country. The festival attracts more than 40,000 art lovers and is consistently ranked in Sunshine Artist's Top 100 Fine Arts Fairs.

The festival includes 10 categories of mediums: 2-D mixed media, 3-D mixed media & sculpture, ceramics, digital art, functional art, glass, jewelry, painting, photography, and works on paper. Category winners will be recognized during the festival. Artists may submit more than one application in separate categories, though booth space sharing is not allowed. The application is free and requires 3 images for jury consideration.

Event hours are 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday. The festival also features live music, Chicago food and beverages, and family-friendly activities. Applications must be received by midnight CST on January 25th, 2026, with acceptance notifications sent via email on February 6th, 2026. Electricity is available for an additional $275, and parking is provided on a first-come, first-served basis within a 3-block radius.