Bucktown

Established by Polish goat herders in the 19th century—before Chicago was even incorporated—Bucktown has come a long way from the animal husbandry of its past. Large waves of immigrants continued to build up the area until the 1970s, when the rest of Chicago caught on to the benefits of the neighborhood’s affordability and location; things were about to get artsy!

Soon, galleries started popping up all over and Bucktown earned its reputation as a haven for practicing artists and those who love them. To that end, the community organized a number of important art festivals that continue to draw visitors by the thousands. Around the Coyote
and Bucktown Arts Fest are annual showcases that feature the neighborhood’s talented emerging and established artists, craftspeople, musicians, and poets.

The people-packed hub of both Bucktown and its neighbor to the south, Wicker Park, lies where the shared boundary of North Avenue meets both Damen and Milwaukee Avenues. Yep, it’s a six-way intersection and it is not to be trifled with!

The big payoff of being in such a busy place is that everything you could possibly want is never more than a few blocks away. Pizza and craft beer? Check. Rooftop bars and trendy bistros? Check. Well-known touring bands and open mic nights? You got it. Sunny boutiques and haute couture? But, of course!

Bucktown is the easily accessible hip and artsy nightlife capital of Chicago, right off I-90 and with three CTA Blue Line stops that can get you downtown or to O’Hare faster than a charging billy goat.