This year, a new festival has been welcomed to Evanston. The Main Street Fall Fest, organized by the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary and the Main-Dempster Mile, spans across the 500 and 700 blocks of Main Street, or in more familiar terms, from Squeezebox to Brother’s K. The Fall Fest included stalls of local people selling their art and food, providing workshops and had a main stage with a live band. After the loss of the Custer Street Art Fair during COVID-19, the Fall Fest is not only a great way for the Main Street community to come together after multiple summers of construction—which limited business—but it is also an opportunity for new artists to share their work. 

When reflecting on the impact of the festival on the community, one young vendor stated, “I love that it’s very diverse and you see all the community together. I think that this is a good thing, it brings good business to the area.” 

One attending Northwestern student said, “I’m sort of recent to Evanston, so it’s nice to experience the town and the art.” That encapsulates what the festival is all about; experiencing Evanston. 

“This is a great thing for the community, but I’ve only been to Big Fork recently. I love to see the art and the music regardless, and the food is great. This by far is my favorite festival,” Senior Leela Wittenberg Trubowitz said.

 Senior Jordan Goldstein, who was volunteering at an art workshop stand, said that her favorite part was seeing all the kids having fun and that the festival is an amazing thing for the community. “It helps small businesses bounce back after all the construction,” she added.

The Fall Fest is an amazing addition to the Evanston community and art scene, it encapsulates the Main Street community. 

“I love seeing a lot of old friendly faces and seeing new ones,” said a vendor at the In Fine Fettle stand. I’ve been a part of this community for a long time, [and] it feels like home.”