McKinley Park Farmers Market Kicks Off Sunday, July 10

Starting Sunday, July 10, 2016, the McKinley Park Farmers Market inaugurates its weekly program bringing fresh produce, meats, prepared food and entertainment to the McKinley Park neighborhood. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday through September 2016, the market will offer locally sourced items from Chicago and Midwest vendors, as well a rotating lineup of entertainers and payment support for Illinois Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Link Cards.

From its location next to the President William McKinley memorial at the corner of South Western Boulevard and Archer Avenue, the market hopes to be a food resource and driver of neighborhood engagement, said market manager Samantha Hertel. "Food tends to be a uniting feature for the community," she said.

McKinley Park Farmers Market act Los Condenados Huastecos performs Son Huasteco-style music. Vendors for the July 10 market will include C&D Family Farms, an Indiana-based collective specializing in sustainably raised, hormone-free livestock and meats; they look to offer pork, chicken, beef patties, sausages (including chorizo), duck and turkey, Hertel said. Produce vendors Lyons Fruit Farm and Garden Patch Farms are each bringing large and varied offerings of fruits and vegetables, as well as specific items like fresh eggs. Hertel is also lining up vendors of coffee and prepared foods.

Entertainment for July 10 will include Japanese drum corps Tsukasa Taiko presenting their traditional Taiko/Shamisen drumming at 10:30 a.m. The music group Los Condenados Huastecos will perform its Son Huasteco-style music between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Hertel anticipates a rotating lineup of entertainers and activities that evolve with the farmers market over the summer.

The farmers market originated with the McKinley Park Advisory Council (MPAC) and has been assisted by the office of 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas. MPAC member and neighborhood resident Dayna Calderon started working together with Hertel on the farmers market starting in October 2015: Although McKinley Park has hosted past farmers markets, they suffered from an inconsistent schedule and less organizing.

Neighbors and local businesses can also help by promoting the farmers market and distributing flyers, available by contacting chicagompac@gmail.com.A key feature is support for the Link Card, Hertel said, noting the working class background of many nearby residents.  "We want to make sure that everyone can participate in the market, regardless of income. So people can have access to fresh, local food.”

The market is in need of more volunteers to help with operations, including assisting with vendor setup and helping customers. Volunteers can sign up for two-hour shifts on any of the upcoming market days, a great way for high schoolers to earn community service hours and anyone to connect with the community. To inquire about volunteering, send email to chicagompac@gmail.com or connect through the farmers market Facebook page.

Hertel said the farmers market is also seeking new vendors for upcoming dates, and that interested parties can get in touch by emailing chicagompac@gmail.com. Vendors do not need to commit to the entire season and can choose on which upcoming dates they'd like to participate, Hertel said. The 2016 Farmers Market Vendor Application form and Rules and Regulations documents are available for download as PDF documents:

• McKinley_Park_Farmers_Market_2016_Vendor_Application.pdf637.12 KB
• McKinley_Park_Farmers_Market_2016_Rules_and_Regulations.pdf171.77 KB

Calderon notes that all of the participating musicians are donating their time to the event, and that the special event permit for the farmers market allows on-site performance and tips for the musicians.

McKinley Park Farmers Market vendor Lyons Fruit Farm peddles their sustainably raised items at a recent Chicago farmers market.