Do-Division 2011 "best Fest yet"

One of many vendors along Chicago's Division St.

Volatile weather may have kept some folks away, but plenty of people poured into the Do-Division two-day street fest and sidewalk sale on Sun. June 5. Sunshine, live music, and lots of shopping made the fest a great success.

"By all signs so far (this was) the best Do-Division Fest yet," said Kara Salgado, Executive Director of the West Town Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to standard street fare, the fest was marked by an abundance of unique vendors selling local, sustainable, and fair trade goods. One such vendor was Jeanette Srivastava, the founder of the Chicago-based organization Immigrants to Women Empowered (i2we). Srivastava's tent was filled with one-of-a-kind tote bags, backpacks, clutches, and bracelets, all made locally by immigrant women using upcycled t-shirts, sweatshirts, and the like.

Foxie items at Les Trois Foxes

"This neighborhood is really changing. People care about spending their money in their community," Srivastava said. "They are more aware and want their money to stay local."

Popular activities: eat, drink and talk

Les Trois Foxes, a group of five young Chicago women each with a background in art or fashion, were first-timers at the fest selling hand-crafted goods, jewelry, art, knick-knacks, and clothing. We all focus on hand-crafted goods; jewelry, art, knick-knacks, and clothing.

"Do-Division Fest was actually the first event for Les Trois Foxes," said Caroline Borucki, one of five members. "We all have worked freelance in art or fashion for the past few years, but decided to put our creativity together to share our work with Chicago. We got extremely positive feedback from Do-Division. If the festivals keep going so well, there might end up being a Les Trois Foxes boutique in the West Town area in the near future!"

Tasty treats at Jameson's booth

Lines of fest-goers beat enjoyed grown up treats from the Boiler Room tent. Apparently, the Jameson flavored frozen yogurt was well worth a wait. "We sell tons of this stuff. We have the Jameson flavor plus two new flavors every day, one made with Patrón and Triple Sec is a favorite," said server David Shearer.

Kids area had many offerings

A younger crowd played in the shade at the Family Fun Fest on Hoyne Avenue. Kids and parents flocked to perennial favorites like pony rides, a bounce house, and a dunk tank, but not before getting a punk-rock makeover (read: colorful mohawks and manicures) courtesy of Psycho Baby and Juko Nail.

The real stand-out this year, though, was the educational bee-keeping theme. The Christy Webber Bee Hive tent offered kids an opportunity to learn a pollination "dance" while planting flowers for bees to pollinate. Sweet Beginnings LLC, owners of an urban apiary in the North Lawndale neighborhood, provided a hands-on bee keeping demonstration. Older kids especially loved the bee trivia scavenger hunt, which ended with prizes from the Building Blocks carnival wheel. Did you know a bee makes one fifth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime? The kids who attended the fest do.

One of the many happy fest goers

"It was really exciting having the bee theme this year. The kids really got into it," said Julie Dickinson, a parent volunteer and co-chair of the event. "There are so many great independently owned boutiques in this neighborhood with amazing, creative, wonderful people. Doing this event I get to partner with a lot of them."

This festival goer was fascinated by the fire hydrant

Proceeds of Family Fun Fest benefit the nearby A.N. Pritzker School and LaSalle II Magnet School. Parent volunteers from both schools were largely responsible for running the show. On Sunday afternoon Suzy McClure, a parent and member of the Friends of Prtizker School, helped with a cookie decorating tent while her five-year-old son Jonah took tickets at the entrance to the nearby bounce house.

"I thought it was wonderful. We got a huge crowd on Sunday, the weather was beautiful, and we were so happy with it," McClure said. "Being a part of this was really satisfying. It felt like we were bringing the community together.

West Town Chamber of Commerce is having another festival June 25 - 26, Green Music Fest on Division by Wicker Park from noon to 10 p.m.

For more views of the area's first 2011 Festival, see photos below. Click on any of the photos below and a slide show will open.

Photos courtesy of Anne Halliday.