The Custer Fair
The Custer Fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue. Each year since then, artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers, and the business community got together with 80,000 attendees for this award wining Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, The Custer Fair, was a function of Piccolo Theatre, Inc, a community-based nonprofit. Piccolo Theatre, Inc produced the Custer Fair for forty-eight years.
“This 45-year old fest of chompin’, stompin’, and shoppin’ isn’t just any old street fest.”
Chicago Sun-Times
Inducted into The Illinois Festival Hall of Fame In 1992.
Voted as the Favorite Art Fair by North Shore Magazine’s Annual Reader’s Poll in 1993 & 2001.
Selected to participate in the State of Illinois Best of Fests in 1988.
The Early Years 1972-2003
Music
Medicine Show
Piccolo Thearte playerand Custer Street Fair director John Szostek plays with a “monstrous” watermelon Saturday in durring the Custer Street Fair in Evanston Illinois Sat & SUn June 21st & 22nd 2003 presented by the Evanston Festival Theatre Inc 847-328-2204 www.custerfair.com 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Pow Wow/Fancy Dancing
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Exhibitors & Crowds
Food
2004
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
David Lukens, a volunteer @ Ten Thousand Villages, plays chess with a young customer named Sam on Saturday during the Custer Street Fair in Evanston Illinois Sat & SUn June 21st & 22nd 2003 presented by the Evanston Festival Theatre Inc 847-328-2204 www.custerfair.com 
�2003 REP3.com = Robert E Potter III ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 312-226-2060 www.REP3.com potter@REP3.com Rights granted to Custer Street Fair and the Evanston Festival, with mandatory copyright protection/photo credit as follows – �RPE3.com – are non-exclusive, north american language print and www use for PR, record, exposition, and promotional use, except they may not be used in any media space purchased for sdvertizing or advertorial woth out the express written permission of REP3. personal note to the press; Please photo credit, you may if you wish say: photo for “your periodical” by REP3.com. To order finished prints or electronic files that are mean to be used for any other purposes contact Robert E Potter III aka REP3.com 312-226-2060. Custer Street Fair in Evanston Illinois Sat & SUn June 21st & 22nd 2003 presented by the Evanston Festival Theatre Inc 847-328-2204 www.custerfair.com 
©2003 REP3.com = Robert E Potter III ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 312-226-2060 www.REP3.com potter@REP3.com Rights granted to Custer Street Fair and the Evanston Festival, with mandatory copyright protection/photo credit as follows – ©RPE3.com – are non-exclusive, north american language print and www use for PR, record, exposition, and promotional use, except they may not be used in any media space purchased for sdvertizing or advertorial woth out the express written permission of REP3. personal note to the press; Please photo credit, you may if you wish say: photo for “your periodical” by REP3.com. To order finished prints or electronic files that are mean to be used for any other purposes contact Robert E Potter III aka REP3.com 312-226-2060. Custer Street Fair in Evanston Illinois Sat & SUn June 21st & 22nd 2003 presented by the Evanston Festival Theatre Inc 847-328-2204 www.custerfair.com 
2005
2006
2007
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation. 
Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc., a thirty-three year old not-for-profit corporation.
2008
2009
2010
Custer’s Last Stand Festival of the Arts, Custer Street Art Fair, The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue named after General George Armstrong Custer in gratitude for his service to the Union during the Civil War. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 60,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition. Custer’s Last Stand, or as the locals call it, the Custer Fair is a function of Evanston Festival Theatre, Inc. 
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Custer Fair Entertainment
A partial list of the performers that graced the streets and stages of the Custer Fair with laughter and wonder
Music
Native American Dance Troupe
Ajoite Drumming and Percussion
Jutta & the Hi Dukes
Kraig Kenning
Geoff Marsh
Radio Disney
Evanston School of Rock
The Country Doctors
Chris Greene Quartet
South Blvd Band
Highland Park Pops
Kent McDaniel Band
John Temmerman’s Jazz Obsession
Paul Maslin Group
Corky Siegel and Howard Levy
Corky Siegel with Frank Donaldson
Jack Hubble Jazz Outfit
Gene Lim
TCO with Rich Maisel and Terre Cohen
Hurricane Saxophone Quartet
The Homewreckers
Musical Offering
Michael Strening
Mark Cleveland Band
Jim DeWan
Flashback Chicago
The Five Spot Quintet
Bopology
Blake ‘n’ Blue
Reba Place Gospel Choir
Urban Twang
Prohibition Orchestra
The Terry Dickerson Jazz Group
Ain’t Lyin’
Zach Brock Quartet
Stitely Orchestra
BMr4
Chicago Mountain String Band
Amanda Crumley
Irish Music School
Mandy & the Bandits
Edgar Gabriel’s String Fusion
South Boulevard
Marshall Thompson (Chi-Lites)
Sarah & The Tall Boys
Old Town School of Folk Music
Funkadesi
Chicago Catz
Evanston Township High School
Tony Garret
Frank Donaldson
Variety Performers
Piccolo Theatre
The Absinthe Minded Professors
MooNiE the Magnif’Cent
Karen and Pam Together
The Lump Brothers (Ken Raabe &John Szostek)
The Ghost Band
Karen Hoyer
Pyro & Penumbra Fire Spinning
Chuckle=Ette Factory
Puppet Town with Ken Raabe
Actor’s Gymnasium
Tai Chi (The Human Process)
Starfish Learning Center Kid Klowns
Aloft Aerial Performance
Les Enfents Terribles
Chicago dell’Arte
Giordano Dance Center
The Clippership Spectacular with Jason Adams
Stunts by Tom Hill
Mickey Simple
Claire the Clown
The Windy City Wizard
Fonseca Martial Arts
Starfish Learning Center
The Raven
Jolly Moe
Sisai
Jim Ellis: Deante Fettucchini
Brad French
Jeff Semmerling’s Mask Theater
Adam Zeisler