Chicago Sukkah Design Festival Bridges Faith, Design, and Community in North Lawndale 

At the intersection of Douglas Boulevard and Millard Avenue, an ancient ritual meets modern design. The fourth annual Chicago Sukkah Design Festival has returned to North Lawndale, transforming James Stone Freedom Square, 3615 W. Douglas Bld., into an open-air gallery of community-built structures that blend art, architecture, and spirituality. 

Running through Oct. 26, the festival features a series of sukkahs—temporary shelters traditionally constructed for the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot—that reinterpret the ancient practice through the lenses of collaboration and social impact. Each sukkah is designed by artists, architects, and neighborhood organizations, with several destined for permanent installation at community sites across the West Side. 

“This sukkah resides here permanently,” said Bishop Derrick Fitzpatrick, pastor of Stone Temple Baptist Church, which overlooks the festival site. He was referencing the sukkah that reflects the historic church’s rich legacy. Photos of church members—including 24th Ward Ald. Monique Scott, her brother, former 24th Ward Ald. Michael Scott, Bishop Fitzpatrick, and his wife, Pastor Reshorna Fitzpatrick—mingle with photos of the James Stone Freedom Square’s namesake, the Rev. James M. Stone, and Martin Luther King, Jr., who preached in Stone’s pulpit. 

“Our church is a historic landmark,” Bishop Fitzpatrick said. “My grandfather was the founding father, Rev. James Stone. This square, James Stone Freedom Square, is named after him. When Martin Luther King Jr. came here, he preached at our church. We still have the pew and the pulpit where King sat.” 

Festival organizers say the project is about more than design—it’s about belonging.

“There are certain design requirements,” explained Shafaq Choudry, one of the program directors for the festival. “There should be three walls that make it feel like home and have a sense of belonging,” Choudry said. “This is part of the Jewish tradition. When they were nomadic—wherever they were traveling—they would have these gathering spaces. What a beautiful invitation. Come one, come all.” 

This year’s participants include artists and builders from across the city, many of whom have roots in both the West Side and Jewish communities. One volunteer, a designer and longtime West Sider, said his team used marine plywood—built to withstand weather and time—to ensure the structure would endure long after the festival. 

“It’s a Jewish ritual that’s one of the oldest in the world,” he said. “Over time, it became a tradition to create these structures to symbolize what it means to have a roof over one’s head.” 

The Sukkah Design Festival was launched in 2021 as a collaboration between The Lawndale Pop-Up Spot, Stone Temple Baptist Church, and local design partners. Each year, the festival draws architects, faith leaders, and residents into conversation about housing, community, and sacred space.