I’ll take any excuse to head to Chicago’s Greektown, but the yearly public art project is a great reason. This year’s theme is Flowering Grecian Urns.

Debuting in June, 31 colorful urns line several blocks in the heart of Greektown, on Chicago’s Near West Side. The urns are on display through May 2026, at which time a new batch of beautiful sculptures will take their places. The Flowering Grecian Urns are sponsored by Greektown SSA #16, the neighborhood’s business improvement district, in partnership with the Chicago Greektown Educational Foundation.

The large Grecian urn sculptures are inspired by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. The urns are hand-painted by local professional and young artists, along with two high schools and 12 Greek schools in Chicago. Decorated with flowers and vines, the vibrant urns add more color to the area. Historically, Greek urns were used to store water, food, wine and more. These Greektown urns hold flowers, adding even more color to the streets.

A couple years ago I interviewed Eve Moran, Greektown SSA #16 commissioner and art committee chair. Moran discussed the history and significance of the yearly art project. That interview is here.

Because all the urns are within a few blocks of each other, it is easy to see them all while on a leisurely walk. Their location in Greektown also provides a good reason to dine at any of the outstanding Greek restaurants. This time, we chose Greek Islands, where we enjoyed a Greek feast.

— John Wroblewski, online writer