West by Northwest Suburbs: The Latest from Farmers Market Reporter

Bob Benenson
May 30
2 min read

Intrepid Ed Kugler Hit Arlington Heights and Downers Grove Saturday Markets

Ed Kugler, our ramblin' farmers market man, beelined to the season openers last Saturday (May 24) in the Chicago suburbs of Arlington Heights and Downers Grove. The following are his photo walk-throughs of each market, which you too can visit every Saturday into autumn.

Arlington Heights Farmers Market

110 W. Fremont St., Arlington Heights

Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Arlington Heights has been in the news quite a bit of late, as city officials try to persuade the NFL's Chicago Bears to leave the city behind and build a stadium on the site of the former Arlington Park horse racing track.

Located in Cook County about 25 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, Arlington Heights (like most surrounding communities) was largely farmland until the post-World War II suburban boom got under way. Its population, under 9,000 in the 1950 census, exploded starting in the 1960s, and today the city is home to about 78,000 residents.

Here's Ed's photo tour of the market.

Ed's selfie-portrait with Maggie Sraga, the Arlington Heights Market manager.

Asparagus and strawberries are among the most popular early-season crops at Chicago region farmers markets.

Downers Grove Farmers Market

Train Station Parking Lot

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

Downers Grove is also about 25 miles from downtown Chicago, though in a more westerly direction than Arlington Heights. And no, it didn't get its name from people with negative personalities. It's named for farmer Pierce Downer, who settled there in 1832 and created the grove.

Downers Grove's population was also boosted by suburban sprawl, though a little less so than Arlington Heights. With around 11,000 residents in 1950, it now is home to a bit more than 50,000.

Certainly enough to support the busy weekly farmers markets in Ed's photos that follow.