60 vendors makes this season of the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market the biggest ever.

Published by Mr. Administrator on May 3, 2019. Filed under
60 vendors makes this season of the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market the biggest ever.

When farmers and vendors begin to arrive at the intersection of University Place and Oak Avenue, right around dawn tomorrow, Saturday, May 4, they will herald the start of the 44th season of the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market. That’s a long time–our market appears to be the third oldest market in the state. (Aurora’s market has been around since 1912. Carbondale’s is also 44 years old.)

As always, the season starts out slowly. Our farmers are always battling too much rain or too little, and the occasional bursts of late-season wintry weather can be much more than inconveniences to farmers. So every one of this year’s 60 vendors won’t attend this first market. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth coming by.

Every year, our market evolves. It grows a little, and the population of farmers, ranchers, and artisans changes up a little. We lost 7 vendors over the Winter, some of them long-time presences. The folks who won’t be back this season include:
  • Pleasant Prairie Flower Farm
  • AquaTerra
  • Klehm Orchids
  • That Pickle Guy
  • Dave’s Coffee Cakes
  • TasteBudz
  • Fed Up Fermented Sodas
We’re always sad to see them go, but their spaces get filled by new farms and creators of delicious food. This year’s new vendors are a diverse mix of producers and artisans. Here’s how the city described our new vendors. You’ll recognize a few from our two just-concluded indoor markets.
  • Sitka Salmon Shares–Alaskan fish caught by small fishing families
  • Diversafry–healthy french fries sweet or savory
  • Not Just Cookies–a new bakery providing a variety of cookies and other baked items
  • The Floured Apron–a not-for profit job training (cooking) program for young women
  • Bhoomi Chai–a variety of chai mixes to take home
  • Adam’s Acre–a new small organic farm in Prairie Crossing
  • Garlic Underground–a garlic farm in the Woodstock area
  • Baked Cheese Haus–a baked melted Swiss sandwich on a baguette with added deliciousness

Other items of interest regarding our market include:

USING LINK CARDS AT THE MARKET

The Downtown Market accepts Illinois Link cards, so low-income shoppers can utilize SNAP benefits when they shop the market. Friends of Evanston Farmers Markets have matched SNAP dollars since 2011. You can find details about this year’s matching program by clicking here.

BRINGING PETS TO THE MARKET

Simply, DON’T. Only service animals are allowed on the property.

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

More than ever, the market is a family affair. The city offers many free activities as part of the SPUD CLUB. The Spud Club tent is right by the city’s, in the southwest corner of the market. Go there for free registration, for children ages 2-to-10 years old.

BYLINE BANK’S FREE DOCUMENT SHREDDING

One periodic activity at our market this year is Byline Bank’s Free Shredding Events
They will be offering free shredding three times during the season. According to the city’s market webpage, “You may bring any files, checks and documents you’d like to shred between 9-11am (or until the truck is full)…” The first date is May 4, at the first market of the season. There will be two more opportunities, on July 13 and October 5.

WHEN, WHERE, WHO

Get information on location hours and parking by clicking here. See a full list of this year’s vendors by clicking here.

The city’s own web page devoted to the market gets more thorough every season. Get other details about the market straight from the market manager by clicking here.

Keep visiting this site for information, recipes, links and reporting about issues that impact both the farmers who make our market so exceptional and the customers that depend on the market for fresh, local, healthy products every week.