I wish I lived closer!
My husband, my dog, and I have been to the Grant Park Farmers Market twice, and I hate that we've missed it the last few weeks. I always enjoy seeing what there is to buy and visiting with the vendors. Everyone I've talked to there is more than happy to share about their products and always glad to introduce themselves. Sidney with the Intown Healthy Hound tent has actually helped me find my dog's vet, and she has always been engaging and curious about how my dog has been. When Simply Seoul didn't have enough of the kimchi I needed, the girl was ready to tell me where else I could purchase their kimchi. I've been able to pick up goat's cheese cheddar for my lactose-intolerant mom, snacks for my dog, and my favorite King of Pops treat in the lovely woods of Grant Park.
What makes this experience special is the Grant Park Information Booth. If you stop by on your first visit, they will give you a "loyalty card," $5 worth of coins to spend at the market, and a calendar of events. Visiting the booth on your second time will get you coupons, and I'm told that the third visit gets you a tote. It's interesting to see how the information folks really care about promoting the market, but it isn't hard to see why.
The artisan bakers, butchers, and farmers at the market care about their products, and they're proud of what they do. They often rotate in new products as the weather changes to showcase seasonal ingredients and produce. You can find fresh vegetables, homemade sausage, vegan kimchi, organic dog food, artisan bread, flavored peanut butter, local honey, pizza, sandwiches, pastries, and sweets. I reckon we could do a good chunk of our weekly grocery shopping here.
The Grant Park Farmers Market is a beautiful place to invest in your community by supporting small and local business. Dogs, children, families, and adults of all ages are completely welcome. Everyone we've met, even the other customers, have all been friendly. I wholeheartedly recommend visiting. Definitely check out their seasonal events, too. On Halloween, there was a face painting booth!