The fair began in 1972 on historic Custer Avenue. Each year since then artists, craftspeople, antique dealers, restauranteurs, entertainers and the business community get together with 70,000 attendees for this award-winning Northshore tradition.

The Custer Fair is a program of Piccolo Theatre, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation. In addition to producing Custer Fair, PTI also has restored the Main Street Metra train station, providing excellent commuter services and serving the community as a cultural center called the Piccolo Arts Depot, home of the professional ensemble-based theatre company the Piccolo Theatre Ensemble.