Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Main Street Fair topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Main Street Fair organizers plan expanded footprint, sensory chill zone and accessibility supports in 9th Ward festival
Summary
Organizers for Evanston’s Main Street Fair told the 9th Ward community meeting they expect growth to about 15,000 attendees, will expand into Iden Park with a dementia/sensory chill zone, and are coordinating phased street closures, parking and ADA accommodations.
Organizers of the Main Street Fair told the June 3 9th Ward community meeting that this year’s festival will expand into the 9th Ward with a larger footprint, targeted accessibility supports and tighter coordination with city operations.
Catherine Gotzik, who identified herself as the volunteer chair of the fair’s organizing committee and the executive director of the district group named in the slides, said last year’s event drew about 11,000 people and that planners are budgeting and marketing to host “15,000.” The coalition includes eight neighborhood nonprofits and business groups that have agreed to share profits equally if the fair is profitable, Gotzik said.
Why it matters: The fair takes up roughly four city blocks and reaches residential areas; organizers emphasized reducing neighborhood disruption while expanding programming, so residents and local businesses have clear guidance about closures, parking and access.
Gotzik outlined the festival footprint and operations, saying organizers won permission to extend the fair down Washington Street into Iden Park and to move the kids area there. She said the event will include a phased shutdown (including a 6 p.m. shutdown in Iden Park and on Washington Street) to help neighbors and that the plan is coordinated with Public Works to make shutdowns efficient.
On programming and logistics, Gotzik said Justin Roberts will open the main stage at 11 a.m., DJ Sean Alvarez will host the main stage and Funkadesi is confirmed. The Main Stage will sit near Main and Sherman, with an East Stage at Main and Hinman and a kids’ stage at Custer and Washington hosting student and youth performers. Organizers also announced a sensory/dementia-friendly chill zone in Iden Park and said they met with the city’s ADA accessibility committee to arrange dedicated ADA parking, volunteer escorts, sunflower lanyards, noise‑canceling headphones and access mats where possible.
Addressing neighborhood concerns, Gotzik said the team distributed flyers to contiguous properties describing which areas would be affected and noting parking restrictions; organizers plan to provide vendor parking passes and to use nearby school lots (Lincoln and Nichols) for vendor parking. She said the Chicago Avenue water‑main work is projected to finish June 19, weather permitting, and that she is following up with the city engineer to reduce any conflict with fair operations.
Organizers emphasized sustainability and transit: Urban Canopy will compost the event; staffed waste stations will direct attendees to the correct bins to maximize diversion from landfill; organizers will highlight two nearby commuter train stops in marketing and install rented bike racks inside the festival footprint (without guaranteed guards). Gotzik also invited residents to volunteer in three‑and‑four‑hour shifts and said sign‑up links would be posted in the meeting chat.
Residents raised practical questions at the meeting. Miss Payton asked whether Sherman would be closed; Gotzik clarified Sherman would not be fully closed and located the stage near the raised crosswalk by the 727 parking lot and the Tapestry Building. Kathleen asked organizers to limit smoke‑producing food vendors and to place fragranced vendors away from the chill zone to reduce air‑quality and olfactory barriers. Gotzik said the festival currently does not include live grilling but will be sensitive to these requests if vendors with grills are added.
Gotzik also clarified the city’s role and costs: "The city of Evanston does not pay anything on this festival," she said, calling the event “completely community supported,” while acknowledging the committee pays various city fees for safety and services and that the city forgave some fees this year.
What’s next: Organizers will continue coordination with Public Works and the city ADA committee, post volunteer signups and follow up on specific questions (for example, final water‑main timing). The meeting closed with attendees directed to contact organizers by email or the chat link for follow‑up.
