First Peek at the April Outdoor Farmers Market Schedule

Plus the Remaining Indoor Market Schedule

A fond farewell to Green City Market's indoor location in Avondale, which held its season finale on Saturday (March 21). Green City is taking next week off, then kicks off the Chicago region's outdoor market season on Saturday, April 4 at its flagship Lincoln Park site. Photo by Bob Benenson

The Chicago region's indoor market season is not over. Our Market Tracker below leads off with the markets that are carrying on indoors.

But spring officially began last Friday (March 20), and I bet that many of you local food fans are already looking forward to the beginning of our glorious eight-month outdoor season. I know I sure am.

So keep scrolling for our first sneak peek at the April outdoor market schedule. It begins on Saturday, April 4 with Green City Market's now-traditional regional season kickoff at its flagship location in Chicago's Lincoln Park.

April is just a hint of the market bounty to come. Openings start to really roll in over the course of May, followed by the big surge in June.

If you've been with Local Food Forum a while and have a sharp eye, you'll notice one significant change in the outdoor market schedule: I am adding 11 outdoor French Market locations across metro Chicago, which are run by the Bensidoun USA company.

I had not included them previously because I gave primacy to producer-only markets that were primarily food forward. My decision to add the French Markets is based on the following thinking:

1) While the vendor lineups at French Markets are a mixed bag, they include some of our outstanding local farms.

2) An increasing number of farmers markets are integrating more non-food vendors into their lineups, which blurs the difference between standard markets and French Markets.

3) A French Market is located just a few blocks from our Lakeview apartment at Nettlehorst School (I am literally looking at the school out my window as I write this), and some of my neighbors frequent the market. So, maybe I'm feeling a little guilty about excluding them.

The caveat is you may not find the same quantity of locally produced food at one of these specialty markets. On the other hand, adding them to the schedule expands the April openings from four markets to eight.

Happy market tracking.

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Chicago Region Indoor Farmers Markets

BATAVIA (Southwest Suburbs)

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

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

Next Market: March 28

BUFFALO GROVE (Northwest Suburbs)

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

CARY/CRYSTAL LAKE (Far Northwest Suburbs)

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

• 1st and 3rd Sundays through May, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Next Market: April 5

CHICAGO

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

• Every Saturday through Dec. 20, then 2nd Saturdays thru April, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: April 11

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

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

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

• Saturdays Dec. 13, February 14, April 11, May 9th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: April 11

Green City Market Avondale, 3057 N Rockwell St. (North Side)

• Saturday thru Dec. 20, then every Saturday Jan. 10-March 21, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Next Market: INDOOR MARKET SEASON CONCLUDED

Jefferson Park Sunday Market, Copernicus Ctr., 5216 W. Lawrence Ave. (North Side)

• Dec. 21, Feb. 1, March 22, May 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: March 22

Logan Square Indoor Farmers Market, 2800 N. Milwaukee Ave. (North Side)

• Saturdays through March 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: March 28 (LAST INDOOR MARKET OF SEASON)

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

2nd Saturdays February through April, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Next Market: April 11

South Loop Winter Farmers Market, 150 W. Roosevelt Rd. (South Loop)

• Every Saturday January 10-March 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: March 28 (LAST INDOOR MARKET OF SEASON)

South Loop Winter Farmers Market, Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan (North Side)

• Every Sunday January 11 through March 29, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Next Market: March 29 (LAST INDOOR MARKET OF SEASON)

Wicker Park Winter Farmers Market, 1450 N. Milwaukee Ave. (North Side)

• Sundays Dec. 7, 14 and 28; Jan. 4 and 18; Feb. 1 and 15; March 1, 15 and 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: March 29 (LAST INDOOR MARKET OF SEASON)

CRYSTAL LAKE (Far Northwest Suburbs)

Farmers Market at the Dole, 401 Country Club Rd.

• Sundays Dec. 7, 14 and 21; Jan. 11 and 25; Feb. 8 and 22; March 8 and 22; April 12, 19, 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: April 12

EVANSTON (Near North Suburbs)

Community Indoor Farmers Market, Immanuel Lutheran Church, 616 Lake St.

• Saturdays Dec. 6 and 20; Jan. 3, 17 and 31; Feb. 14 and 28; March 14 and 28, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Next Market: March 28 (LAST INDOOR MARKET OF SEASON)

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

• Saturdays Dec. 13 and 27; Jan. 10 and 24; Feb. 7 and 21; March 7 and 21; April 4, 11, 18 and 25; 8 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

Next Market: April 4

GRAYSLAKE (Far North Suburbs)

Liberty Prairie Farm Store, 970 Harris Rd.

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

HIGHLAND PARK (North Suburbs)

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

• Every Friday, Jan. 16-April 24, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Next Market: March 27

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

• Every Saturday, Jan. 10-April 25, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Next Market: March 28

HUNTLEY (Far North Suburbs)

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

• 2nd Saturdays through April, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Next Market: April 11

PALATINE (Northwest Suburbs)

Palatine Winter Farmers Market, 137 W. Wood St.

• 1st and 3rd Saturdays through April, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Next Market: April 4

ST. CHARLES (Western Suburbs)

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

• Fridays through May, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Market: March 27

SKOKIE

Skokie Winter Farmers Market, 4051 Main St.

• Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m, January 11 and 25, February 1 and 22, March 15 and 29, April 12 and 26

Next Market: March 29

WHEATON (Western Suburbs)

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

• Saturdays through April, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Next Market: March 28

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

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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.

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