A Midwest Haven Outside Of Chicago Mingles Forested Parks And One Of America's Top Art Fairs

Chicago is a city that knows how to celebrate art. Along with year-round attractions like the Art Institute of Chicago in Grant Park and the living urban canvas of the Wabash Arts Corridor, Chicago hosts a number of annual art fairs, including some that are nationally known. The Old Town Art Fair in the hip and historic Old Town Triangle neighborhood, for instance, is considered one of the best art fairs in the country. But the Windy City doesn't have a monopoly on creative culture in northern Illinois. In fact, the nearby village of Park Forest is home to the second-oldest juried fine art fair in and around Chicago.

Park Forest is located about 30 miles south of Chicago, just a few miles off of Interstate 57 and connected by commuter rail to downtown. Its affordable housing and 2,000 acres of parks and outdoor recreation space make it a popular suburb for families and retirees. The village is home to the Tall Grass Arts Association, which hosts classes and exhibits at its space in downtown Park Forest. It also organizes the Park Forest Art Fair, a celebrated annual event attended by artists and art lovers alike.

Park Forest has been a haven for artists since its earliest days. The Park Forest Arts Club was founded in 1950, just two years after the community was established. The first Park Forest Art Fair happened a few years later and continues to run for one jam-packed weekend in September every year. 

Over the decades, the Park Forest Art Fair has gained a reputation as a top spot to find eclectic and varied art for great prices. There's far more than framed paintings and photos on offer at its booths. Woodworking, ceramics, sculptures, jewelry, and hand-blown glass are among the other mediums you'll find at the fair. Some artists even make their space an interactive experience by demonstrating their techniques during the fair. Repeat visitors will likely see a lot of familiar faces among the artists, some of whom have been exhibiting at the Park Forest Art Fair for decades. That loyalty is a strong sign of the fair's consistent quality.

With over 80 exhibition booths in any given year, the art and artists are the heart of the fair. However, browsing art is just one of many activities on offer. The Kids Art Alley gives young visitors a chance to express their creativity with painting, face painting, and hands-on crafts. There is also a stage with live concerts held throughout the festival weekend and food trucks serving up delicious bites.

Along with its renowned art fair, Park Forest has another claim to fame: its plethora of parks and outdoor amenities are among the most per capita in the state of Illinois. Central Park is a 90-acre green space with covered pavilions for outdoor gatherings and a 45-acre wetland habitat that's home to more than 140 species of native plants. For more wetlands, head to the Somonauk Nature Adventure Park in the southern area of the village, where you'll also find a 2-acre pond that offers activities like kayaking and fishing.

The Village Green has a stage for shows and an outdoor gallery of sculptures made by local artists. For biking and hiking, the Old Plank Road Trail runs through Park Forest, spanning a total of 22 miles from the town of Joliet to Chicago Heights. From there, you can hook up with the Thorn Creek Trail system, or head a bit further north to check out the parks, trails, and shops of Chicago's quaint Elmhurst suburb.

Park Forest also has a variety of public attractions, like the launch ramps and rails at Skateboard Park and the Rail Fan Park, a popular spot for locomotive enthusiasts to view trains passing by from a 35-foot-high platform. The Park Forest Aqua Center, set to reopen in 2026, has been a top spot for locals to cool off in the summer since it first opened in 1955, with a toddler pool, a water slide, an aquatic climbing wall, and a lap pool for adults. The village's tennis facilities are equally renowned, with six indoor courts that host local leagues and some of the top tennis teams in the Chicagoland area. Whatever activity you enjoy most, you're like to find the perfect spot for it in Park Forest.