Mid-Week Market – Less Market, More 'Street Festival' – Starts This Week

Oak Park’s new Mid-Week Market starts this week and I have mixed feelings about it.

I’m all for more programs and events that draw attention to locally-produced food and help forge relationships with farmers.

I’d been led to believe that this Mid-Week Market would be another farmers market, featuring local agriculture and home-grown businesses with a sustainable focus.

But the marketing materials present this as more of Chamber of Commerce-sponsored night on the town:

“More than a farmers’ market, closer to a street festival, the Mid-Week Market features locally grown fruits and vegetables, food vendors offering a wide selection of ready-to-eat items and local retailers selling goods and services…Local microbrews and wine are available for on-site consumption as well, along with food demonstrations and live music. “

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that my village is looking for ways to drum up consumer support for local business. But if it’s not farm-focused, then let’s not confuse the two.

And if there is a farm focus, I sure hope the produce is grown locally and not just what I can buy 2 for 1, trucked in from Florida and California, at Jewel.

If you want to check it out, the Mid-Week Market is on Wednesdays starting this week through mid-September from 4-9 p.m.