MG's Market Faire...Finding Its Footing

For over a decade, the Morton Grove Farmers' Market was a popular event that brought the community together outdoors from late spring through early fall and also held indoor markets for the holidays which welcomed attendees for free. But the dedicated volunteers (working as a committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry - https://mgcci.org/) over time wanted to spend more time with family and other pursuits. Looking for others to operate the market, The French Market (which operates in Wilmette, Wheaton and other suburbs) was chosen to carry on the tradition. Their first year was 2020, and we all remember the chaos that Covid brought. After a few years, the loss of vendors, attendees and staff brought that chapter of Morton Grove's weekly market to a close.

In recent years, the Park Ridge, Skokie and other farmers' markets have become more popular having filled the need left when Morton Grove's market closed. Even a new market operated by the Edgebrook-Sauganash Chamber called the North Branch Farmers Market (https://northbranchmarket.com/) which started on July 6 and runs every other week just south of Morton Grove. But the MG Chamber wanted to provide something in our village.

Rich Block, now President of the Morton Grove Chamber was also the Market Manager. He wanted to bring back an indoor event for the holidays for the residents of the village and surrounding communities to enjoy the original spirit of our market and a place where people could come together to meet, eat and enjoy entertainment while shopping for items from local artisans and crafters, service providers with information from the village and local organizations.

The first event was titled as a "holiday faire" and hoped to attract shoppers interested in seeing vendors who provided all that was needed for the holidays (gifts, catering, music, photographers, decorations, party rentals and more). That concept transitioned to an artisan crafts fair, but others wanted to share their goods and services who offered gourmet foods, home repair services and more from home based businesses. Today, we have the Autumn (and Spring) Market Faire!

Our first location was at the Morton Grove Civic Center where the first indoor MG Markets had been held in years past. We quickly outgrew the location and found a new home at the MG Park District's Prairie View Community Center. Their second floor now offers us more room and the parking improved, but moving to the first floor main gym now allows us to have more vendor tables, easier access and the ability to have all our attendees and vendors in one big, well lit room.

The Chamber's goal is to build up the Autumn Market Faire (this year on October 26 from 9 am to 2 pm) and the Spring Market Faire (date to be announced for 2025) to become a twice yearly, popular event for all to find interesting items, services and information while meeting their neighbors. We hope you will join us this October 26 and share the event with your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and anyone interested. Please help us spread the word so we can more people to attend the market. For more about the Morton Grove Chamber or our twice-yearly Market Faire including how to book a vendor table, please contact us at 847-965-0330 or by email at: Director@mgcci.org THANKS...we hope to see YOU at the Faire!