Ever wonder how a single bite can take you on a trip around the world? Meet Chef Royce Lowery and Danielle Mitchell, founders of Kaya Grill & Gyoza, one of our market’s new and exciting vendors!

We’re thrilled to welcome back Black Taco to the 61st Street Farmers Market this season! After taking a break last year, they’re back—and ready to feed the Woodlawn community once again.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a newbie, our farmers are here to help you select the perfect plants for your indoor herb garden, balcony, or backyard raised bed. They can help you select plants that go well together (called companions), that are hardy enough to hold up to the forgetful gardener (has it been a week since i watered??), and ones that are best for sunny or shady areas. Bring a cardboard box if you plan on buying more than one plant! It will make transporting them much easier.

In just two weeks, the 61st Street Farmers Market will be kicking off its 18th outdoor season—and we couldn't be more excited!

On Saturday, May 17, we will be back outside on 61st Street with at least 32 amazing vendors lined up this year, including some longtime favorites like Mint Creek Farm, Ellis Family Farms, and Gorman Farm Fresh Produce. Stay tuned–the new vendors will be revealed soon! to launch the 2025 market season.

The 61st Street Farmers Market, a program of Experimental Station, has become more than just a place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables on Saturdays.

In addition to providing access to healthy food for 63,984 community members over 35 market days in the year, the Market is working year-round to build a healthier, more connected community through food, education, and wellness programs.

As this week marks National Volunteer Week, we want to thank the incredible individuals who power Experimental Station through their time, talent, and care. Since our early days—and especially with the launch of the 61st Street Farmers Market in 2008—volunteers have played a vital role in building a more equitable and sustainable food culture in our community.

Blackstone Bicycle Works (BBW) is bringing bike education to Andrew Carnegie Elementary School and Bret Harte Elementary School—both Chicago Public Schools located on the South Side.

This expansion provides bike safety training, cycling skills, and hands-on learning to even more youth throughout the school year.

This spring break, 14 youths from seven local high schools joined Blackstone Bicycle Works for an educational 1-week Spring Break Camp. From early morning to late afternoon each day, the participants dove into a hands-on mix of bike mechanics, creative bicycle art, STEM activities, and college and career exploration, turning their spring break into a week full of skill-building, growth, and fun.

Illinois farmers markets don’t stop with summer! Thanks to storage and indoor growing, fresh produce—greens, mushrooms, root veggies, apples, and more—remains available at winter markets.

Batavia Indoor Market, one of 30 Link Match partners, helps make healthy food accessible for SNAP recipients year-round. The market operates every Saturday, featuring around 20 vendors. Most vendors offer SNAP-eligible items, with five offering Link Match-eligible items.