© 2026, Angela Campbell, Yampa Valley Cloudburst, 18 x 28, Oil on canvas

By GINNY VAN ALYEA

Following two West Loop art fairs in 2025, the organizer behind those events is heading north this fall with a newly named fair in Evanston.

The inaugural North Shore Fine Art Expo will take place November 13–15, 2026, at The Orrington Hotel, near Northwestern University. The three-day event will begin with a Friday evening First Look preview, followed by public hours Saturday and Sunday.

Unlike a gallery-centered fair, the North Shore Expo will feature artists presenting and selling their work directly. More than 40 participating artists from Chicago and around the country are expected to be on site throughout the weekend, giving visitors an opportunity to meet them and learn more about their work.

Work represented at the fair will range from painting, drawing and mixed media to fiber art, encaustic, watercolor and sculpture.

The new event follows the Spring and Fall West Loop Contemporary Fine Art Expos, which debuted at Plumbers Hall in 2025. Its move to Evanston gives the organizer, Gourmet Expos, a different setting and potential audience, while adding another independently produced fair to the Chicago area’s increasingly full fall art calendar.

Supporting organizations currently listed by the fair include the Evanston Art Center, Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists, Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art and North Shore Art League.

North Shore Fine Art Expo

First Look Preview: Friday, November 13, 6:30–9:30pm

Saturday, November 14, 11am–7pm

Sunday, November 15, 11am–6pm

The Orrington Hotel

1710 Orrington Avenue, Evanston

Daily admission is $20; multiple-day tickets are also available.

Visit northshorefineartexpo.com for the complete artist roster and ticket information.