WICKER PARK — Tens of thousands of people packed Wicker Park's main strip for the neighborhood's annual festival this weekend, bringing new business — and some crime — to the area.
While Saturday's fest was mostly peaceful, post-festival violence and vandalism left some business owners and residents shaken. A gang-related shooting outside a 7-Eleven at Milwaukee and Wood left a 40-year-old man wounded.
Several storefronts were covered with grafitti, and others had their windows smashed.
Alisa Hauser says some neighbors wanted more police presence:
On Sunday, Shakespeare District Cmdr. Marc Buslik said his officers combined with private security kept things pretty calm given the volume of people.
Buslik called the shooting from early Sunday "very targeted" and pointed out that it happened three hours after the fest ended.
"It's a lot of people, when you get a lot of people, there is occasionally a fist fight," Buslik said.
Chicago Police had some help from a private security company brought on to help manage the crowds. About 50 or 60 private guards worked the fest, Buslik said.
Shakespeare District Cmdr. Marc Buslk at Wicker Park Fest late Sunday. (DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser)
On Sunday, a fight broke out near the scene of Saturday night's shooting, when a man apparently punched a 21-year-old woman after an argument.
Tarik Dahbour, 29, of the 4700 block of North Central Park Avenue, was brought into police custody at 10:35 p.m. Sunday. Dahbour was detained by private security workers during a fight that broke out around 9:45 p.m. at the Milwaukee Avenue and Wood Street intersection.
Police said Dahbour was an admitted gang member. He was charged with battery, a police spokesman said.
Tarik Dahbour, right, in tie-dyed shirt, is held back by friends and a private security worker at Wicker Park Fest. (DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser)
Still, most attendees enjoyed the live music, food and shopping.
"It's safer than walking down any other neighborhood's miscellaneous block. There's more people here," said Kirk Duelfer, 30.
An Albany Park resident, Duelfer estimated he was at his 8th Wicker Park Fest.
Entrance and exit points at the festival were also a concern to attendees and business owners. The set-up allowed people to enter and exit at the same narrow points, which led to bottlenecks where people were pushed up against the wall, unable to move. Several attendees were nearly trampled by crowds near the Milwaukee and Paulina stage Sunday night. The entrances near Milwaukee and Damen had the same issue.
A business owner said they've asked organizers to reassess the entrance/exit situation, but the request typically falls "on deaf ears."
Now in its 12th year, the fest is an income generator for the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, the event's main beneficiary which collects $5 cash suggested donation to enter the massive street party.
Organizers did not immediately share revenue or attendance numbers early Monday.
Crowds at Wicker Park Fest's North Stage, around 8:30 p.m. Sunday (DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser)
Crowds at Wicker Park Fest's North Stage, around 8:30 p.m. Sunday (DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser)
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