The project art installations of colorful umbrellas bring joy to people in 3 public spaces in Elmhurst, just a short car ride away from Chicago.
A summer full of attractions, right here in the city or near it
This summer is full of wonderful experiences available in the city or all around it.
The Stadium Chef Series is coming back in 2023 with an extraordinary culinary experience. Whether you are a fan of the Cubs and went to see them play at Wrigley Field or not, this summer you’ll have the opportunity to go out for dinner right on the field.
If watching a movie is your fancy, but you want to do it in style, the open-air theater on top of The Emily Hotel (311 N Morgan St) starts its second summer season of the Rooftop Cinema Club on May 25th. So, if you want some seats on the first showings, you should hurry. But if walking under an umbrella rainbow is what you feel like doing, you now have three opportunities right outside Chicago.
A colorful project to make the world happy
From the famous umbrella street in Agueda, Portugal to the small-scale umbrella streets appearing in local markets, these little pops of color will make anyone reach for their camera.
Pittsburgh, Pensacola, San Francisco, Louisville, Washington DC and now Elmhurst are cities in the US that all have in common these colorful street installations.
Besides providing shade from the sun and keeping passersby dry in case of rain, the colorful umbrellas put a smile on everybody’s face and are the pretext for wonderful pictures, bringing in lots of locals and tourists.
Beside being installed on various streets, the umbrellas are sometimes used to provide shade on the outdoor sitting areas of restaurants and cafes, being installed in hopes to bring more customers in, since people seem to love them so much.
The idea comes from Europe, supposedly from Portugal, and has expanded to the whole Europe and beyond, now being almost impossible to say how many of these streets are there. But, according to various travel bloggers from all over the world, some of these streets are more famous than others, and we tried to make a list of the most beautiful ones.
Where to find the colorful umbrellas all over the world
Paris, France
Where to find the umbrellas: Rue Royale 25
Rouen, France
Where to find the umbrellas: Rue Massacre
Bucharest, Romania
Where to find the umbrellas: Pasajul Victoriei
Timisoara, Romania
Where to find the umbrellas: Strada Alba Iulia
Agueda, Portugal
Where to find the umbrellas: Rua Luis de Camoes – part of Umbrella Sky Project. Every July, as part of Ágitagueda art festival, hundreds of vivid umbrellas are hung over promenades in the streets of Águeda, a municipality in Portugal.
Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Where to find the umbrellas: Rua Grande
Athens, Greece
Where to find the umbrellas: Pittaki Street
Istanbul, Turkey
Where to find the umbrellas: Seyr-i Istanbul Haliç Cafe, Demirtaş Mahallesi, Ayrancı Sk. 9/A
Warsaw, Poland
Where to find the umbrellas: Francuska 30
Novigrad, Croatia
Where to find the umbrellas: Veliki Trg
Syros, Greece
Where to find the umbrellas: Ermoupolis
Dublin, Ireland
Where to find the umbrellas: Zozimus Bar, Anne’s Lane
Belgrade, Serbia
Where to find the umbrellas: Manufaktura, Kralja Petra 13
Malang, Indonesia
Where to find the umbrellas: Kampung Warna Warni Jodipan
Ipoh, Malaysia
Where to find the umbrellas: Concubine Lane
Port Louis, Mauritius
Where to find the umbrellas: Umbrella Alley at Le Caudan Waterfront
Dubai, UAE
Where to find the umbrellas: Umbrella Passage
Mexico DF, Mexico
Where to find the umbrellas: Comedor Lucerna
Porto de Galinhas, Brazil
Where to find the umbrellas: Pedestrian Area
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old Quarter, Quebec City, Canada
Brno, Czech Republic
Located on Česká Street, the colors of the umbrellas change each year and they have a theme.
Iglesias, Sardinia Italy
Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok Thailand
Three spots to admire the umbrellas closer to home
Of course, if going to Europe or even to Mexico is not an option, Chicagoans now have not one, but three options way closer to home, in Elmhurst, where they can see a real canopy of colors, put together under the Umbrella Sky Project.
With over 170 international installations, The Umbrella Sky Project first started out in Portugal, filling public spaces with a vibrant umbrellas art project.
After moving to France, Spain, Japan, and even Norway, The Umbrella Project has found its way to Illinois, only a short car ride away from Chicago.
The ultra-colorful installation first began in 2012, creating a vibrant sense of joy and wonder that filled the sky with bright floating umbrellas.
Now, the project is open for viewing in 3 spots throughout Elmhurst.
Visitors and locals alike can view the incredible exhibits at the following locations:
- Schiller Court and Schiller and York Sts.
- Cultural Campus 110 South Cottage Hill
- North York Stage, 254 N. York St.
The Umbrella Sky Project, which is funded by the Elmhurst City Center and additional sponsors, will be open through August. The City of Elmhurst has added this colorful art piece around town to inspire smiles, joy, and prompt people to take pictures for Instagram, and thus promote the city.
