Sundays on State, the Loop’s fall arts and culture showcase, to return in September

The Loop’s annual fall festival, Sundays on State, will return for its fifth year closing five blocks for entertainment and food vendors on Sept. 7 and Oct. 5, the Chicago Loop Alliance said Tuesday.

The arts and culture event series will run on the two nonconsecutive Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays on State operates as a free, interactive celebration of art, culture, active recreation, food, drinks, shopping and local attractions in the heart of downtown.

Nearly 400 vendors and artists from all over the city will participate over the two dates. Notable local performers include DJ collective Good Girls DJ (Sept. 7), neo-soul duo the O’My’s (Oct. 5), and the Joffrey Ballet (Oct. 5).

“It’s a unique opportunity for State Street to be closed to traffic. Since [2021], it’s continued to have the mission of uniting the community and boosting the economy,” said Ariella Gibson, Chicago Loop Alliance director of marketing and communications. “It’s a pretty big street, so we have a lot of room to work with and it puts a microcosm of what Chicago is in every neighborhood right here in the Loop.”

Sundays on State began in 2021 as an effort to boost the economic recovery of the Loop during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event originally began as an eight-week series, before condensing to four weeks, and now operating as a two-week event as the area has recovered and returned to hosting other events.

Chicago Loop Alliance President and CEO Michael Edwards said in a release that the transition to the fall season lets his organization support other major events, such as Lollapalooza.

Sundays on State is free and open to the public, but attendees can register ahead of time to enter in a raffle for a Loop staycation package.

Camila Trimberger-Ruiz is an intern on the WBEZ Arts & Culture Desk.