These Are The 10 Best Farmers Markets In Illinois For 2018

Who doesn’t love a great Farmers Market?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the popularity of Farmers Markets is growing. What was once a niche shopping experience for the wealthy and ultra health conscious has become mainstream. And to appease the diverse populations that have shown interest in farmers markets, vendors have expanded their offerings. You can now get ice cream, homemade soap and even beer to go along with your organic beets and mushrooms.

And they aren’t just popular in liberal enclaves and on the west coast.

Farmers markets are booming in areas that had trouble making inroads in the past. 20 years ago, you’d never think you’d find farmers’ markets in Kansas City, Detroit or St. Louis.

Simply put, farmers markets aren’t just for farmers any more.

So, where are the best farmers’ markets in Illinois? We’ve got the answers here. (We’ll explain our methodology below.)

These are the best Illinois farmers markets:

1. Wheaton French Market, Wheaton, IL
2. Chicago-Nettelhorst French Market, Chicago, IL
3. Wilmette French Market, Wilmette, IL
4. Villa Park French Market, Villa Park, IL
5. Geneva French Market, Geneva, IL
6. Bensenville French Market, Bensenville, IL
7. Western Springs French Market, Western Springs, IL
8. Lisle French Market, Lisle, IL
9. Old Capitol Farmers Market – Springfield, Springfield, IL
10. Frankfort Country Market, Frankfort, IL

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how each market ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably live in one of these cities where things are oh-so farmers market friendly.

And after you find a great farmers market, check out the best places to live in Illinois or the cheapest place to live in Illinois.

How do you decide if a farmers market is awesome or not in Illinois?

In order to rank the best farmers markets in Illinois, we had to determine what criteria makes for a good market experience. It isn’t a stretch to assume that great farmers’ markets have a variety of options, are up to date with the latest technology, and are in areas with decent populations. Because everyone should be able to take home some homemade jam, right?

So we researched the internet for a database that contains all that information.

How we crunched the numbers for the Prairie State

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using Department of Agriculture data produced for the state of Illinois, along with the government census numbers, we looked at every single farmers market in the state. We paid particular attention to:

• Number of amenities
• Each market’s technology improvements
• Variety of items to buy
• Nearby population
• Number of organic vendors

We then gave each market a HomeSnacks Score. The higher the score, the better the farmer’s market ranked. What we found is there seems to be a balanced number of large farmers markets near major city centers as well as awesome farmers markets in smaller communities. That’s the way it should be!

1. Wheaton French Market

Score: 91.4
City: Wheaton, IL
Address: 200 S Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187
Times: Sat: 8:00 AM-2:00 PM

2. Chicago-Nettelhorst French Market

Score: 85.7
City: Chicago, IL
Address: Nettelhorst School, Broadway and Melrose, Chicago, IL None
Times: Sat: 8:00 AM-2:00 PM

3. Wilmette French Market

Score: 85.7
City: Wilmette, IL
Address: Metra Lot 722, Green Bay Road, Wilmette, IL 60091
Times: Sat: 8:00 AM-1:00 PM

4. Villa Park French Market

Score: 85.7
City: Villa Park, IL
Address: E Park Blvd at S Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, IL 60181
Times: Sun: 8:00 AM-1:00 PM

5. Geneva French Market

Score: 85.7
City: Geneva, IL
Address: Metra Parking Lot, NW Corner of South street & 4th Street., Geneva, IL 60134
Times: Sun: 9:00 AM-2:00 PM

6. Bensenville French Market

Score: 85.7
City: Bensenville, IL
Address: 10 S Center street, Bensenville, IL 60105
Times: Wed: 5:00 PM-9:00 PM

7. Western Springs French Market

Score: 85.7
City: Western Springs, IL
Address: Hillgrove Ave. between Lawn and Grand Ave, Western Springs, IL None
Times: Thu: 2:00 PM-7:00 PM

8. Lisle French Market

Score: 82.9
City: Lisle, IL
Address: Garfield Ave. North of Burlington, Lisle, IL 60532
Times: Sat: 8:00 AM-1:00 PM

9. Old Capitol Farmers Market – Springfield

Score: 80.0
City: Springfield, IL
Address: Adams Street between 5th & 2nd Streets, Springfield, IL 62701
Times: Wed: 8:00 AM-12:30 PM Sat: 8:00 AM-12:30 PM

10. Frankfort Country Market

Score: 80.0
City: Frankfort, IL
Address: oak and kansas, Frankfort, IL 60423
Times: Sun: 10:00 AM-2:00 PM

There You Have It – The Best Farmers Markets In Illinois

If you’re looking for a breakdown of farmers’ markets in the Prairie State ranked by criteria that vendors and customers agree on, this is an accurate list.

For more Illinois reading, check out:

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• These Are The 10 Worst Places To Live In Illinois
• These Are The 10 Safest Places In Illinois

Detailed List Of The Best Farmers Markets In Illinois