Evanston’s West End Farmers Market, now in its third year, is expanding its efforts to bring fresh produce and more to the neighborhood.
The market is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 30 at the corner of Church Street and Dodge Avenue.
Evanston’s West End Farmers Market, now in its third year, is expanding its efforts to bring fresh produce and more to the neighborhood.
The market is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 30 at the corner of Church Street and Dodge Avenue.
Much of the produce at the market this year is being grown in the neighborhood by participants in Second Chance Produce, a program sponsored by the Evanston Community Development Corporation, the Boocoo cultural center and local churches. It offers ex-offenders a chance to learn marketing and business management techniques will tending a small farm plot behind Boocoo at 1823 Church St.
Building raised beds for the Second Chance garden plot.
The program director of Second Chance, Cozeake Nelson, said the program “has exposed the west side of Evanston to the opportunity of growing and eating fresh vegetables.”
“The garden is beautiful,” said Second Chance volunteer Rachel Vanhoose, “The vegetables range from collard greens to beans and squash.”
The market also also offers a variety of merchandise sold by different venders.
Paula Evans, owner of Queen Bee desserts.
“The market provides economic opportunity for business to come and test their products” said event manager Precious Wright. “We also provide a mentor program for business along with a micro loan fund.”
Patricia Carey Levine from Walter Payton Cancer Fund works on her crafts.
To attract business, the West End Farmers market also offers a variety of entertainment. “Every week we have a different genre of music from jazz to gospel, and in October we also have a big Halloween party for the kids” Wright added.
To attract business, the West
If the market wants to attract more business, wouldn’t it make sense to hold it on a different day than Saturday, where it is competing with the downtown market?
I stopped in to West End once, but found the selection of goods to be inferior to the long-established Downtown market.
Given the fact that the downtown market is only a mile away and is at the same time, there is no incentive for people to shop at West End.
Having it on Thursday or Wednesday would make much more sense.
Same all over again
I agree–your points have also been brought up in previous years, but still seem to fall on deaf ears.
I would NOT suggest Wednesdays, since Ridgeville Park District has their farmer’s market at Ridge and Seward on that day…