There’s nothing better than the great taste of nutritious, straight-from-the-farm fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meats as well as fresh baked breads and pastries. And with the many farmers’ markets in Evanston, it’s easy to get them – as well as lovingly made, small batch artisanal products and prepared foods – all while supporting local producers and vendors.
During the warm weather months of early May through early November, you can enjoy the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market. With nearly sixty vendors you’ll find flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables, cheese, honey, baked goods, and other locally produced items, making it one of the largest and most popular farmers’ market on the North Shore. It’s open from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays at the intersection of University Place and Oak Avenue. For your convenience, parking is available in the adjacent self-park at 1800 Maple Avenue. Remember to bring your ticket to the nearby City of Evanston tent for validation if you want your parking to be free.
The Jackie Mack & More insider’s tip: Many of the vendors sell out very early, but many accept advance online orders. So, be sure to either arrive early or order ahead to ensure you get your favorites.
And there are many more farmers’ markets in neighboring suburbs and nearby Chicago neighborhoods. Of particular note are the Skokie Farmers Market (which was voted “Best on the North Shore” by North Shore Magazine) or the Logan Square Farmers Market. Both are on Sundays (perfect timing if you have to miss our farmers’ market on Saturdays). You might also want to check out the Edgewater Farmers’ Market on Mondays from 3 pm to 7 pm; the Green City Market in Lincoln Park on Wednesdays (perfect for mid-week fill-ins) and Saturdays (which you’ll probably skip in favor of our local Downtown Evanston Farmers Market).
What more, you can keep the community spirit going during the colder months with our two in-door farmer’s markets:
- Evanston’s Community Winter Indoor Farmers’ Market: Find locally grown greens, vegetables, fish, eggs, meats, cheeses, and dry goods at the Immanuel Lutheran Church on Lake Street in Evanston every other Saturday from November through April. Not only does this market create a revenue stream for selected local vendors, the proceeds from the vendor space donations, which averages about $10,000 a year, is given to hunger-based organizations.
- The Evanston Ecology Center Indoor Farmers Market: Held from January through April on every other Saturday alternating with the Evanston’s Community Winter Indoor Farmers’ Market, you can find a small selection of local vendors. The market is located at the Evanston Ecology Center on McCormick Blvd with free parking in its lot.
Finally, you might want to check out the Village Farmstand at 810 Dempster Street (a block west of the Dempster Purple Line station). While not a traditional farmers’ market nor a traditional grocery, they feature a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, eggs, dairy, and other products from around 60 small farms and artisan vendors within 150 miles of Evanston.
We recommend checking out the unique mix of products at each one, so you can identify your favorites. And enjoy the bounty. After all, Evanston is known for its selection of fine foods, among other attractive attributes. Our famers markets are no exception.
