The city of Aurora is set to welcome back the longest-running farmers market in the state on Saturday, June 7, with organizers saying the event will include more vendors and a new club for children.
This marks the 114th year of the market, which will run from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through Oct. 4 at 65 S. Water St. in downtown Aurora.
The market will show definite signs of growth not seen since it moved from near the downtown Metra station back in 2018 to Water Street Square, organizers said.
Due to a reconfiguration of the market, there could be as many as 75 vendors this year as compared to years past when the number averaged around 50 at the Water Street site.
Aurora Farmers Market manager and community events coordinator Felicia Freitag said this year’s total includes 85 vendors that have signed up, with many rotating in and out throughout the summer.
“Some of those vendors might be here one Saturday or two, the others the whole season,” she said. “We’ll probably have at least 60 each week and we have a new layout this year, and we’ll be able to fit up to 70 in the parking lot itself.”
The new layout was made possible, Freitag said, as a result of moving the handicapped reserved parking to “the other side of the lot.”
“It used to be on the south side of the lot and now it’s on the north side which allows us to have space for more vendors,” she said.
Another new feature this year at the market will be a Sprouts Club, offering weekly free activities for children.
According to a press release from the city, “the Sprouts Club will provide a consistent club for children to participate in from 9 to 11 a.m. every Saturday” at the farmers market.
“Activities will promote sustainability, farming and produce knowledge, creativity and give children the opportunity to socialize,” the release said. “Children can receive a stamp in their Sprouts Club activity booklet each week, along with a $5 Sprout Token for use on fruits and vegetables. After five stamps, Sprouts can pick out a special prize.”
The Sprouts Club program will be run by the city of Aurora’s Youth Services Division. Examples of planned activities include garden planting using a couple of raised garden beds, as well as kids decorating planters they can take home which will include seeds to grow things themselves.
There will also be cultural performances throughout the year at the farmers market, organizers said.
The opening market on Saturday is expected to offer 60 vendors, according to organizers.
The annual Aurora Farmers Market in downtown Aurora, seen here in 2023, is set to open for the season on Saturday. (David Sharos / For The Beacon-News)
Popular regulars returning include Lopez Farms from Michigan which has been with the market for three decades, along with Strawberries BBQ, Alice’s Corner with empanadas, The Finer Edge knife sharpening, Draper’s Honey, Dick’s Mini Donuts and more.
New vendors will be offering some unique food items including locally-grown mushrooms, artisan bacon and charcuterie cups “to keep people fed while they shop,” Freitag said.
The market will continue to partner with LinkUp Illinois, allowing Link card users to double their Link funds and receive tokens and voucher redeemable with eligible vendors at the farmers market, event organizers said.
Freitag said the city of Aurora welcomes the growth of farmers markets throughout the area because together they make up a network that benefits everybody.
“We love to see other markets popping up and that means more people are caring about shopping locally and supporting local and small business and we welcome it,” she said. “We love to see what other markets are doing. We do have an established market that keeps generating support. We’re just excited for the next season and new layout and getting more vendors in here.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
