Twenty Years of the 79th Street Renaissance Festival as a Cultural Destination

Since 2005, held the weekend after Labor Day, the 79th Street Renaissance Festival has lit up Auburn Gresham with a celebration of the neighborhood’s culture, creativity, and aspirations. Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC) hosts and co-creates the event with community, and the street fair draws tens of thousands of visitors to enjoy music, art, food, and the 60-foot Ferris wheel that has become symbolic of the festival.

The project, “Celebrating 20 Years of the 79th Street Renaissance Festival,” was recognized with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation 2026 Creative Places Award at the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards organized by LISC Chicago. The festival is on a repurposed vacant lot, and it has transformed it into a cultural destination, shifting the narrative about the neighborhood.