Applications Open Soon For 2026 Batavia Boardwalk Shops

BATAVIA, IL — Batavia Boardwalk Shops is still teeming with shoppers, but organizers at the nonprofit Batavia MainStreet are looking ahead to the 2026 season.

Applications for the 2026 season of the small business incubator open Oct. 1 and will be due Jan. 15, 2026.

Entering its seventh season, the program fosters small business growth and draws thousands of visitors to downtown Batavia. Next year, shops will be open from May 8 to Dec. 20, with required hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The Boardwalk Shops are comprised of 10 12-foot-by-12-foot spaces at the corner of Wilson and River streets, adjacent to the Batavia Farmers Market and River Street Woonerf.

"It provides entrepreneurs with a low-risk retail space to expand their business, test a new concept or pilot a downtown location," Batavia MainStreet wrote in a news release.

Since 2020, the Boardwalk Shops have generated more than $2 million in sales, drawn visitors from 200-plus zip codes and made TV appearances, officials said. More than 25 businesses have launched permanent brick-and-mortar locations following their Boardwalk season.

"Each season, we select 10 businesses to showcase a variety of offerings and work closely with them, providing ongoing support, training, and regional marketing to help them succeed," Kristen Desler, assistant director of Batavia MainStreet, said in a statement.

Applications will be interviewed by a jury committee before selections are announced by Jan. 31, 2026. Previous participants are welcome to reapply, but shop placement is not guaranteed.