Farmers Markets in Chicago

Summer in Chicago means farmers markets, and you don't need a kitchen to enjoy them. Most markets have food you can eat on the spot, like donuts, tamales, breakfast sandwiches and fruit smoothies, and they're a cheap way to see a neighborhood on a weekend morning. Swing by for a snack or to stock your basket for a summer picnic.

Most markets run from May to October, and a few start in April or keep going until the week before Thanksgiving. The city publishes a full farmers market schedule every spring with this year's exact dates, so check it before you go. The days and hours below are the usual pattern, and they do shift.

Green City Market

If you only go to one, make it Green City Market. It's the city's best-known farmers market, and every vendor who sells there has to be certified by an outside sustainability or animal-welfare program. The main market is at the south end of Lincoln Park, 1817 N. Clark St., on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 7am to 1pm, and the outdoor season now runs from spring into late November. A second market sets up in the West Loop at 900 W. Monroe St. on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. Our Green City Market page has what to eat there.

In and near the Loop

Daley Plaza Farmers Market, 50 W. Washington St.
Thursdays, 7am to 2pm, late May to late October
The city's own market, in the plaza under the Picasso. It's an easy lunch stop if you're sightseeing downtown. See our guide to exploring the Loop.

South Loop Farmers Market, 632 S. Dearborn St. (Printers Row)
Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, mid-May through October
A small neighborhood market on the old printing-house blocks of Printers Row, a short walk from the Harrison Red Line stop.

SOAR Farmers Market, 220 E. Chicago Ave. (Streeterville)
Tuesdays, 7am to 2pm, June through October
At the Museum of Contemporary Art's address, just east of Michigan Avenue, so it's easy to fit into a day on the Magnificent Mile.

North Side

The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 724 W. Armitage Ave.
Saturdays, 7am to 1pm, late April to late November
A smaller Saturday alternative to Green City, west of the park. Pair it with a walk to the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is free.

Division Street Farmers Market, around 100 W. Division St. (Gold Coast)
Saturdays, 7am to noon, mid-May to late October
Another city-run market. During the Division Street streetscape work it moved two blocks west, to Division between Clark and Wells, so check the city schedule for where it is this year.

Lincoln Square Farmers Market, 2301 W. Leland Ave.
Tuesday mornings, 7am to noon, and Thursday evenings, 3pm to 7pm
Lincoln Square is the old German neighborhood, with plenty of places to eat and drink around the market. It's next to the Western Brown Line stop.

Andersonville Farmers Market, 1500 W. Winona St.
Wednesdays, 3pm to 7pm, mid-May to late October
An after-work market just off Clark Street. Andersonville is a great shopping street, with resale shops, bookstores and small boutiques, so come for the afternoon. Our shopping guide covers the stores.

Uptown Farmers Market, Sunnyside Mall, 1257-1320 W. Sunnyside Ave.
Wednesdays, 2:30pm to 7pm, May to early November
Another Wednesday afternoon market, in Uptown, if Andersonville is too far north for you.

Northwest Side

Logan Square Farmers Market, near 2620 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Sundays, 8:30am to 3pm, May through October
A big neighborhood market with live music and a kids' club. It's right by the Logan Square Blue Line stop, and there are good brunch spots and taprooms nearby when you're done.

Wicker Park Farmers Market, 1425 N. Damen Ave.
Sundays, 8am to 2pm, May through October
It's been running for more than 25 seasons. Cap off a morning of shopping in the Bucktown and Wicker Park boutiques with a stop here.

South Side

61st Street Farmers Market, 1400 E. 61st St. (Woodlawn)
Saturdays, 9am to 2pm, mid-May through October
Just south of the University of Chicago's Midway Plaisance. If you're headed to the Museum of Science and Industry, it's a little over a mile away, so you can pick up picnic food first.

Bronzeville Farmers Market, 4700 S. King Dr.
Sundays, 10am to 2pm, June through September
A community-run market on King Drive, supported by the city.

Maxwell Street Market

Maxwell Street isn't a farmers market, but it's the most famous market in Chicago, and it's been around for more than a century. These days the city runs it on about one Sunday a month from May through October, from 10am to 3pm, on Maxwell Street between Halsted Street and Union Avenue. Expect vintage goods, crafts, clothes and a lot of food, plus live music. It's free, and the closest train is the UIC-Halsted stop on the Blue Line. The Maxwell Street Polish sausage sandwich got its name from the old market here.

Many markets accept Link (SNAP) benefits, and several match what you spend. For more ways to eat well in Chicago, see our food and drink hub.

Photo by bluebike