Downtown Joliet Farmers Market visitors find nighttime hours more convenient

JOLIET – Switching the Downtown Farmers Market to nights appeared to be a popular move at the debut event Wednesday.

Farmers Market opened with speeches and a pretty good crowd, many of whom commented on the convenience of an evening event.

"I think it's better," said Laura Bryll of Shorewood. "I think they'll have more of a crowd at this time. It gives me a chance to come out after work."

That was the idea behind switching from Friday mornings to Wednesday nights, although the event actually is a late afternoon-night event. Farmers Market now starts at 4 p.m. and runs to 9 p.m. every Wednesday.

The City Center Partnership last year experimented with a few Wednesday night markets and found attendance was better, said Sarah Strickland, marketing and events manager for the organization.

The morning markets held on Fridays ran until 2 p.m., capturing business from downtown workers as well as those who came downtown just for the market. The nighttime markets catch the downtown crowd as they get off work, Strickland said.

"We had a good afternoon crowd at the beginning, and then as it went on it would be a younger crowd that came for the music," Strickland said of the pattern noticed last year.

Chicago Street Pub provides the live music as well as featuring a different craft beer each night from regional brewers.

"I like the fact that they're having it in the evening. People can walk around downtown and enjoy," said Chicago Street Pub owner Mike Trizna. "It's a lot different when you have a band playing at 7 p.m. than at 11 a.m."

Chandler McGinnis of Joliet said he had never been to one of the downtown markets before.

"You'll have a lot more people who will be able to show up," McGinnis said. "In the morning, people have to work. This is a lot more convenient."

Even retiree Rodney Van Der Karr of Joliet said he finds the evening market more appealing.

"We used to come to the ones in the mornings," said Van Der Karr, who often worked nights. "But I'm retired now, and mornings and me don't get along so well. I'll probably come more at this time."

The City Center Partnership was able to increase the number of vendors by moving to night as well.

Mike Berta, a partner with the family owned Mancuso Cheese Co. in Joliet, said the switch to a nighttime market was the reason he brought a booth.

"I'm pretty impressed," Berta said of the business he was doing Wednesday. "I didn't know what to think. I saw the markets on Fridays in the past. I told my brother, 'Don't waste your time.' When I heard about this, I said, 'Let's give it a try.'"

Mancuso Cheese Co. has been in Joliet since 1907. But Berta said many people don't realize the cheese factory on Mills Road also has an outlet store, and the market offers an opportunity to let people know.

Milano Bakery, a Joliet company that goes back to 1915, was selling bread and baked goods.

The Farmers Market was not filled with farmers. But it did have a market atmosphere with a variety of vendors selling meat, herbs, teas and botanic products. First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Joliet was selling plants.

Pick at Garden Patch Farms in Homer Glen had the one produce stand at the market. But it did have a large supply of strawberries, rhubarb, carrots, green onions, beets, asparagus and more. Rhubarb especially was selling well.

Lexie Miller, part-owner of the Homer Glen farm, said she will be at two other nighttime markets this summer in Chicago and Darien. This was her first farmers market in Joliet.

"It's been good so far," Miller said.

COMING DOWNTOWN EVENTS
Friday: New Orleans North, 5-11 p.m.
Every Wednesday: Downtown Farmers Market, 4-9 p.m.
July 7: Nitro Nite, 5-10 p.m.
Aug. 6: Kidzfest, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sept. 10: Fiesta En La Calle, 3-10 p.m.
Sept. 14: Race Fan Rally, 4-10 p.m.

More Online
Visit this article at TheHerald-News.com to see video and a photo gallery from the Downtown Joliet Farmers Market.