The first season of the Indoor Winter Ravinia Farmers Market has drawn a steady roster of vendors, plus more than 3,000 patrons, to Highland Park since its December opening at Wayfarer Theaters.
On Saturday, more than a dozen vendors filled two floors of the movie theater. The number of vendors fluctuates, with some dates drawing more than 20. Auxiliary space outside, along the theater entrance, accommodates any overflow of vendors.
The indoor market season began with a December holiday market and runs every Saturday through April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Motorists can park in the adjacent indoor parking garage for free for up to three hours.
Items for purchase include everything from farm fruits and vegetables to baked goods and artisan crafts, plus locally produced honey.
“One of the important factors of why a market is created is to bring to the community a local source of merchants that don’t have storefronts, so it helps support small businesses that want to launch their new business,” said Ed Kugler, the winter market manager and manager of the Ravinia Farmers Market since 2017.
“Farmers markets are typically known as a starting point for businesses to get their feet into the business world and exposure,” he said. “The other important factor of a farmers market is that you get to know the person that’s making your food, or making the product that you’re buying. You can actually establish a relationship with that vendor.”
Vendors Ed Boyer and Ashley Sampier, partners with BSM 3D Prints of Round Lake, sell three-dimensional toys for children and collectors made on their 3D printer. A dragon with moveable parts is their most popular toy among buyers, Boyer said.
Purchasing from BSM 3D Prints were Jaime and Stephanie Barraza of Highwood and their children Mateo, 3, and Camila, 13.
“There are so many niche boutiques and vendors here,” Stephanie Barraza said. “We love it.”
The Barraza family also visited a table staffed by budding beekeeper Isabel Anderson, 16, and professional beekeeper and Chicago Honeybee Company owner John Shin. Honey samples were offered, with jars of honey for sale.
Shin maintains beehives in Glenview, Chicago and Northbrook, and is a Northfield neighbor of Anderson’s family. The light or deep amber hue and flavor of honey depends on the season, environs and what’s in bloom, he said.
“The foraging bees that go out to get the nectar, they fly up to seven miles (from their hives),” Shin said.
Anderson added, “I think it’s very important to eat local because it’s a lot healthier than using store-bought food. Especially when it’s local. You know where it’s coming from. You know that it’s from your neighbor’s yard.
“I think it’s good for our generation to be healthy and I think the more you know, the better you’ll be able to fulfill being healthy,” Anderson said.
Selling artisan baked gluten-free, dairy-free nut-based bars, along with personal artwork, was Piper Baracani of Highland Park, also an acrylic and oil painter who uses canvas.
“Although we do have a Ravinia summer market, this is the first time we’ve ever had it in uptown Highland Park in a location where people are starting to learn about the new movie theater that’s here as well,” Baracani said. “It’s a win-win situation.”
Making plant-based pizza varieties on the premises were Brian and Sharon Carron, owners of Wild Root Foods in Gurnee.
“I do think that people really like attending farmers markets, and enjoy buying their food locally,” Sharon Carron said.
Patronizing the Wild Root table were Jerry and Debby Henslee of Lake Bluff.
“It is preferable to procure local food because it’s going to be fresher ingredients, it’s going to be healthier for you, plus supporting local economies,” Debby Henslee said.
“Local homegrown businesses really strengthen and enrich a community,” Jerry Henslee said.
