The Mid-May Chicago Region Market Schedule Keeps Growing

Bob Benenson
3 days ago
6 min read

Updated: 4 hours ago

Find the Farmers Markets Kicking Off Their Seasons Over the Next Two Weeks

61st Street Farmers Market, run by the Experimental Station non-profit, is located at the border of Chicago's Woodlawn and Hyde Park neighborhoods and is the largest farmers market on the city's South Side. July 2024 photo by Bob Benenson

As more and more seasonal local food hits the Chicago region's farmers markets, Local Food Forum's market finder just keeps growing. The biggest wave is still a few weeks away in June, but as you'll see in the list below, by the end of this next week, more than 30 communities will enjoy convenient options to buy delicious, nutritious, sustainably produced local food directly from producers.

This week's listing is an opportunity to highlight markets that provide affordable local food access to residents of underserved Chicago communities.

The 61st Street Farmers Market, located in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood near its northern border with Hyde Park, is the biggest farmers market on the city's South Side. It is run by the Experimental Station non-profit, which manages the Link Up Illinois program that provides resources for individual markets to double the value of food assistance benefits. The 61st Street Farmers Market debuts for the season this Saturday (May 17) and will be open weekly through the end of October.

The Growing Home non-profit's Englewood Farm Stand opens its season on Thursday (May 15). It is adjacent to its urban farm, which produces tons of organic produce while hiring and training formerly incarcerated individuals and others who face employment challenges. The market is open weekly through the end of October.

Stein Learning Gardens at Saint Sabina provide food eduction and access to healthy, organic produce to Saint Sabina Catholic Church parishioners and the surrounding Auburn Gresham community. I regret missing the opening of their weekly Wednesday afternoon market last week.

Congratulations to Steve Archer II, who was recently hired as Stein Gardens' executive director. Steve is an inspirational figure who I met in January 2024 when he received the Illinois Farmer Veteran of the Year Award from the Illinois Farmer Veteran Coalition at the Everything Local conference in Springfield.

Steve was a Marine from 1999 to 2004 and served a tour of duty during the Iraq conflict. Challenged by his adjustment to civilian life, he started a garden that in 2023 morphed into a community garden. He now is sharing his knowledge and skills developed over two decades with the Stein Learning Gardens community.

Also noteworthy:

This week's opening at the Oak Park Farmers Market — located in Chicago's near western suburbs — which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!
A new(ish) farmers market in downtown Chicago: Pru Farmers Market, located on the plaza of the Prudential buildings, is opening for a full season after a quiet test run at the end of the 2024 market season.

Local Food Forum's market schedule tracker is updated weekly, with this week's openings noted with a •. A preview of the next week's openings follows.

This feature is pinned to the Local Food Forum homepage for your convenience. Please share it with friends and family to help grow our vital local food community and provide more support to our local farmers.

OPEN CHICAGO REGION FARMERS MARKETS THROUGH MAY 18

means this is the market's opening week

TUESDAYS

Lincoln Square Tuesday Farmers Market, 4513 N Lincoln Ave. (parking lot), Chicago

Region: Chicago (North Side — Lincoln Square)

Times: 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Pru Farmers Market, 135 E. Lake St.. Chicago

Region: Chicago (North Side — Downtown)

Times: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Woodstock Tuesday Farmers Market, Woodstock Square

Region: Far Northwest Suburbs

Times: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS

Andersonville Farmers Market, 1500 W. Winona St., Chicago

Region: Chicago (North Side — Andersonville)

Times: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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

Region: Chicago (North Side — Lincoln Park)

Times: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

New Lenox Farmers Market, Village Commons

Region: Southwest Suburbs

Times: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Palos Heights Farmers Market, 12217 S. Harlem Avenue (Municipal Parking Lot)

Region: South Suburbs

Times: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Ravenswood Community Farmers Market, 4900 N. Damen Ave., Chicago

Region: Chicago (North Side — Ravenswood)

Times: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Stein Learning Gardens at Saint Sabina, 7840 S. Racine Ave., Chicago

Region: Chicago (South Side — Auburn Gresham)

Times: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Uptown Farmers Market, Sunnyside betw Magnolia and Beacon, Chicago

Region: Chicago (North Side — Sheridan Park)

Times: 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

THURSDAYS

Growing Home Englewood Farm Stand, 1844 W. 59th St., Chicago

Region: Chicago (South Side — Englewood)

Times: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lincoln Square Thursday Farmers Market, 4513 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago

Region: Chicago (North Side — Lincoln Square)

Times: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

[No market May 29, September 4]

The Gathering at Tulip Tree Gardens, 1236 E. Eagle Lake Rd., Beecher

[Every other week... Open this week]

Region: South Suburbs

Times: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

[Note: Every other Thursday... May 15, 29; June 12, 26; July 10, 24; August 7, 21; September 4, 18]

SATURDAYS

Arlington Heights Farmers Market, 110 W. Fremont St.

Region: Northwest Suburbs

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

Batavia Farmers Market, North River St. between Wilson and Spring

Region: Southwest Suburbs

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

Division Street Farmers Market, 30 W. Division, Chicago

Region: Chicago (North Side — Near North Side/Gold Coast)

Times: 7 a.m. to 12 p.m

Downers Grove Farmers Market, Train Station Parking Lot

Region: Northwest Suburbs

Times: 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Evanston Downtown Farmers Market, University Avenue at Oak Street

Region: North Suburbs

Times: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grayslake Farmers Market, 201 Center St., Grayslake

Region: Northern Suburbs

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

[Market shifts to Wednesdays in June]

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

Region: Chicago (North Side — Lincoln Park)

Times: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Green City Market West Loop, 900 W. Monroe St., Chicago

Region: Chicago (West Loop — Downtown)

Times: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hegewisch Farmers Market, 13323 S. Green Bay Ave., Chicago

Region: Chicago (Far Southeast — Hegewisch)

Times: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kankakee Farmers Market, S. Schuyler Ave. and Merchant St.

Region: Far South Suburbs

Times: 8 a.m. to noon

Oak Park Farmers Market, 460 Lake St.

Region: Near Western Suburbs

Times: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Palatine Farmers Market, Palatine Train Station Parking Lot

Region: Northwest Suburbs

Times: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Park Forest Main Street Farmers Market, 152 Main St.

Region: South Suburbs

Times: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

61st St. Farmers Market, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago

Region: Chicago (South Side — Woodlawn/Hyde Park)

Times: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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

Region: Chicago (North Side — Lincoln Park)

Times: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Woodstock Saturday Farmers Market, Woodstock Square

Region: Far Northwest Suburbs

Times: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SUNDAYS

El Paseo Community Market, 944 W. 21st Street, Chicago

Region: Chicago (South Side — Pilsen)

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

[New market this season]

Frankfort Country Market, Breidert Green and 1 N. White St., Frankfort

Region: South Suburbs

Times: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Logan Square Farmers Market, N. Kedzie Blvd. between Logan & Fullerton

Region: Chicago (North Side — Logan Square)

Times: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

North Park Community Market, 5510 N. Christiana Ave., Chicago

[Monthly — Open This Week]

Region: Chicago (North Side — North Park)

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

[Note: North Park Community Market is open on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Next markets are June 15, July 20, August 17, September 21, October 19]

95th Street Farmers Market, 1835 W. 95th St.

Region: Chicago (Beverly Hills — Southwest Side)

Times: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wicker Park Farmers Market, 1425 N. Damen Ave.

Region: Chicago (North Side — Wicker Park)

Times: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MARKETS OPENING MAY 20 THROUGH MAY 25

TUESDAY (May 20)

Lombard Farmers Market, South Park Ave.

Region: Western Suburbs

Hours: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Farmer at the Green, 320 S. Canal St., Chicago