Skokie Farmer's Market

The first Skokie Farmers' Market opened with a dozen vendors in June 1975 to serve the community and support local farming. Proudly sponsored by the Village of Skokie Consumer Affairs Commission, the market supports local farming to bring fresh, nutrient-dense produce to the community. The Market has steadily grown in size to host more than 2,500 visitors each week and many are weekly returning customers. Today, not only are two original vendors still at the Skokie Farmers’ Market, but Skokie serves as one of the only Sunday morning Markets in the Chicagoland area. Making it accessible to many who are religiously observant on Saturdays. The Market serves Skokie’s modest population of 67,000 and the surrounding city of Chicago and suburban neighbors. Skokie’s multitude of cultures with over 80 languages spoken in homes, makes the Skokie Farmers’ Market a beautiful and unique experience to shop local.The objective of the Market is to offer fresh, quality produce, which is assured by keeping the Market modest in size. In addition to all of the expected fruits and vegetables, special varieties of mushrooms are available including portabello, morel and shitake are sold. Freshly prepared foods like sweet and savory crepes, authentic tamales and the amazing bison burgers are offered at the market! The Skokie Farmers’ Market is a central hub to Downtown Skokie on Sunday mornings during the market season. With shared access to pedestrian friendly, retails shops, the market also abuts the Skokie Public Library. Market patrons and families enjoy the access to public parking and the open air market. They come to shop - some even purchasing bushels of sweet corn, peaches and apples. Today there are over 20 vendors featured at the Market, with a growing list of activities for families. The Market has branched out to reflect customer demand for such foods as freshly baked bread and pastries as well as a wide array of spices, herbs and sauces all while remaining a producer-only market. Patrons return weekly for specialty jams and honey, the popular mirai corn and the coveted Swiss gourmet apples. The market is the also host to the Skokie Produce Initiative which is supported by the Commission on Family Services and provides fresh produce to the Niles Township Food Pantry. This collaborated effort includes the generous donations of five farmers who provide leftover produce at the end of each Farmers’ Market day. Members of the Commission volunteer to collect the produce and deliver the produce donations directly to the Niles Township Food Pantry. This season they have collected an estimated 4,000 pounds! The produce is shared weekly with surrounding suburban families in need.Our efforts to become a zero waste market have been made stronger with the introduction of the Skokie Farmers' Market Waste-Wise Station - the spot at the market where you can recycle, discard refuse and compost food waste all in one location.We've teamed up with Lakeshore Recycling Systems of Morton Grove to collect our organic waste. Lakeshore uses an aerobic digester system to convert organic material into compost.The Market is truly a treasured Skokie community event, and the host to many free events that include live music, free Yoga on the Green, chef demonstrations, free programs hosted by the Skokie Fire, Skokie Police and Skokie Public Works Departments, some of which include car seat safety checks, fire extinguishing demonstration for children and a touch-a-truck event to name a few. Visit the market this season and get a taste of what makes the Skokie Farmers’ Market so special!