Dawn of the Chicago Region's Growing Season Draws Near

Green City Market Kicks Off Outdoor Season on April 4

Green City Market Lincoln Park site on March 27, eight days before the outdoor season's opening day. Photo by Bob Benenson

I was in the neighborhood of Green City Market's flagship outdoor location on Friday (March 27), so I took a photo of the calm before they kick off the Chicago region's outdoor market season on April 4, one week before today.

The day was very chilly and this stretch of Lincoln Park was very quiet. But it will soon be bustling with activity on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. until just before Thanksgiving (that's almost eight full months!), and on Wednesdays (also 7-1) from May 6 through October 28.

Green City will also have its Saturday satellite market in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, starting May 2, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Local Food Forum will publish an article next week about what you can expect at the very early season markets. In the meantime, our Market Tracker follows.

While the Indoor Market Tracker was organized by location, the Tracker for the upcoming season is organized by day of the week. It will includes the remaining indoor markets, which are colored blue.

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April Outdoor Farmers Markets (in black) and Remaining Indoor Markets (in blue)

FRIDAY, APRIL 3

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Friday), Braeside Market, 55 St. John's Ave., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4

Green City Lincoln Park, 1817 N. Clark St., Chicago

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Batavia Farmers Market, Sturdy Shelter Brewing, 10 S. Shumway Avenue

9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Evanston Winter Farmers Market, Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd.

8 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

Palatine Winter Farmers Market, 137 W. Wood St.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Saturday), Wayfarer Theater, 1850 Second St., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Wheaton Indoor Market, Wheaton Mason’s Lodge, 120 W. Wesley

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 5

Cary Winter Farmers Market, 3702 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

St. Charles Indoor Farmers/Baked Goods Market, Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar, St. Charles

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 10

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Friday), Braeside Market, 55 St. John's Ave., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

St. Charles Indoor Farmers/Baked Goods Market, Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar, St. Charles

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

Green City Lincoln Park, 1817 N. Clark St., Chicago

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grayslake Farmers Market, 201 Center St., Grayslake

10 a.m to 2 p.m.

Wheaton French Market, Main and Liberty, Wheaton

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Batavia Farmers Market, Sturdy Shelter Brewing, 10 S. Shumway Avenue

9 a.m. to 12 p.m, through May 9

Evanston Winter Farmers Market, Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd.

8 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

Garfield Park Neighborhood Market, The Hatchery, 135 N. Kedzie (West Side)

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Huntley Indoor Farmers Market, Huntley Municipal Complex, 10987 Main St.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Plant Chicago Farmers Market, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave. (South Side)

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Saturday), Wayfarer Theater, 1850 Second St., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

61st Street Market, Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. (South Side)

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wheaton Indoor Market, Wheaton Mason’s Lodge, 120 W. Wesley

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Woodstock Farmers Market, All Seasons Orchard, 14510 IL 176

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

Geneva French Market, Metra parking lot (4th and South), Geneva

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Buffalo Grove Indoor Winter Farmers Market, 2900 N. Main St.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Farmers Market at the Dole, 401 Country Club Rd.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Skokie Winter Farmers Market, 4051 Main St.

8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Friday), Braeside Market, 55 St. John's Ave., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

St. Charles Indoor Farmers/Baked Goods Market, Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar, St. Charles

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

Chicago Nettlehorst French Market, 3252 N. Broadway, Chicago

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Green City Lincoln Park, 1817 N. Clark St., Chicago

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grayslake Farmers Market, 201 Center St., Grayslake

10 a.m to 2 p.m.

Wheaton French Market, Main and Liberty, Wheaton

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wilmette French Market, 722 Green Bay Rd., Wilmette

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Batavia Farmers Market, Sturdy Shelter Brewing, 10 S. Shumway Avenue

9 a.m. to 12 p.m

Evanston Winter Farmers Market, Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd.

8 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

Palatine Winter Farmers Market, 137 W. Wood St.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Saturday), Wayfarer Theater, 1850 Second St., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Wheaton Indoor Market, Wheaton Mason’s Lodge, 120 W. Wesley

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

Geneva French Market, Metra parking lot (4th and South), Geneva

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Cary Winter Farmers Market, 3702 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 24

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Friday), Braeside Market, 55 St. John's Ave., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

St. Charles Indoor Farmers/Baked Goods Market, Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar, St. Charles

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

Green City Lincoln Park, 1817 N. Clark St., Chicago

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grayslake Farmers Market, 201 Center St., Grayslake

10 a.m to 2 p.m.

The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 724 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wheaton French Market, Main and Liberty, Wheaton

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Batavia Farmers Market, Sturdy Shelter Brewing, 10 S. Shumway Avenue

• Every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m, through May 9

Evanston Winter Farmers Market, Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd.

8 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

Farmers Market at the Dole, 401 Country Club Rd.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Ravinia Winter Farmers Market (Saturday), Wayfarer Theater, 1850 Second St., Highland Park

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Wheaton Indoor Market, Wheaton Mason’s Lodge, 120 W. Wesley

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Woodstock Farmers Market, All Seasons Orchard, 14510 IL 176

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

Frankfort Country Market, Breidert Green, Frankfort

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Geneva French Market, Metra parking lot (4th and South), Geneva

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Buffalo Grove Indoor Winter Farmers Market, 2900 N. Main St.

• 2nd and 4th Sundays through April, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: April 12

Skokie Winter Farmers Market, 4051 Main St.

8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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YEAR-ROUND INDOOR MARKETS

Farm on Ogden Market, 3555 W. Ogden Ave. (West Side)

• Tuesday-Friday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Liberty Prairie Farm Store, 970 Harris Rd.

• Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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WOODSTOCK (Far Northwest Suburbs)

Woodstock Farmers Market, All Seasons Orchard, 14510 IL 176

• Saturdays Dec. 6, 13 and 20; Jan. 3, 17 and 31; Feb. 14 and 28; March 14 and

28; April 11 and 25, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Next Market: March 28

April Outdoor Farmers Market Openings — First Look

SATURDAY, APRIL 4

Green City Lincoln Park, 1817 N. Clark St., Chicago

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

Grayslake Farmers Market, 201 Center St., Grayslake

10 a.m to 2 p.m.

Wheaton French Market, Main and Liberty, Wheaton

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

Geneva French Market, Metra parking lot (4th and South), Geneva

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 18

Chicago Nettlehorst French Market, 3252 N. Broadway, Chicago

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wilmette French Market, 722 Green Bay Rd., Wilmette

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 724 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

Frankfort Country Market, Breidert Green, Frankfort

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.