At 7:00am, on every Friday morning from June 7th to October 11th, vendors from all over the Midwest gather in downtown Lake Bluff. From Iowa, all the way to Michigan, you can find these shops ready to go making the iconic Lake Bluff Farmers Market what it is.
Going to the farmers market has been a ritual of mine from a very young age. Whether it was before school, or summer camps, you could always find me there rain or shine. No matter how hectic my family and I’s life got, we always relied on the farmers market for good food and quality time.
The Lake Bluff Farmers Market is a community that is strong yet small and predominantly includes an older crowd of people. However, because of the versatility, inclusivity, and hospitable nature of the market, more people of all ages should be attending.
Being in the town’s center, people from all over Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, and beyond are able to come to enjoy all different kinds of foods and goods. Whether you are hoping for fruits and vegetables, or maybe you have a taste for tamales, you can find both at the farmers market. Or maybe you need a new arrangement of flowers for your house. The variety of options at the farmers market is what makes it so attractive, and is why its customers continuously return.
Even just walking onto the block that is home to the farmers market invites friendly smiles and waves from both the vendors and customers around you. Every person there maintains the light-hearted and peaceful surrounding because the market is less about transactions and more about ambience and community.
It is undeniable that the sense of community radiates throughout the entire town on the day of the farmers market. This sensation is something that can only be created and not bought, which is why the Lake Bluff Farmers Market is so special.
I encourage the people who are interested in feeling a connection to where we live, or finding a way to pass their time to come and explore the market. The beauty of this event is that there’s no intimidating aspect of it that puts pressure on people to need a strict plan in order to attend.
Just show up. You could be surprised at how fulfilling it may be.
Whether you are a freshman who is slowly but surely starting to find their path, or a senior who is enjoying their firsts of many lasts, or anything in between, the farmers market is a great staple that will brighten up any day. I can assure you that you will leave feeling much more content and pleased compared to when you came.
Not every town can proudly hold something so unique that shapes Lake Bluff to be the way it is. It’s important to recognize this special part of our community, and make sure that it remains as inclusive and unique as it always has.
