61st Street Farmers Market Opens for Second Year on May 16th

61st Street Farmers Market Opens for Second Year on May 16th

Woodlawn, Chicago - On May 16th, the 61st Street Farmers Market will open for its second season on 61st Street between Blackstone and Dorchester Avenues. After a great first year, the 61st Street Farmers Market is kicking off its second season with twice as many vendors, live music, chef demonstrations, a market school, and fun for the whole family. Each Saturday from 9AM to 2PM, shoppers can purchase local sustainable fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meats, baked goods, flowers, and plants. The vendors include local favorites like Bruno's Organics, Ellis Family Farms, Genesis Growers, Growing Power, Medici of 57th, River Valley Ranch and Tomato Mountain. Other vendors will be selling local organic baby food, prepared vegan meals, crepes and much more.

On opening day, master gardener Julia Govis will be selling seedlings and giving gardening advice for those with a green thumb.

At 10:30, Chef Charles Bagnerise from the Parrot Cage restaurant will be doing a live cooking demonstration and tasting. And Real Men Cook will be at the market spreading the word about their 20th Anniversary Fathers' Day Celebration - the largest Fathers' Day celebration in the nation. The 61st Street Farmers Market is a program of the Experimental Station (a 501c3 nonprofit organization). Committed to building independent cultural infrastructure on Chicago's South Side, the Experimental Station also houses Blackstone Bicycle Works, Backstory Café, the Invisible Institute, and a diverse array of cultural and educational activities. As part of the Experimental Station's Food Culture program, the 61st Street Farmers Market aims to "build a local food infrastructure that provides sources of locally grown, healthy and organic foods, educational resources for learning about food preparation, and food-related community events." With over twenty vendors, an exciting lineup of chef demonstrations, and lots of market school activities in the works, the market is ready for a great second season. "The 61st Street Farmers Market is committed at once to bringing fresh and healthy foods to an underserved Chicago neighborhood, to educating consumers, and to celebrating the vitality and diversity of the South Side," says Connie Spreen, Executive Director of the Experimental Station. The market offers a place for South side residents to connect with neighbors, local farmers, sustainable food and the community. Helping support a local sustainable food economy, the market accepts LINK, WIC and Senior Coupons. Located on 61st Street between Blackstone and Dorchester, the market will be open every Saturday 9AM to 2PM from May 16th to October 31st. You may keep abreast of market offerings and activities by visiting the 61st Street Farmers Market's new Facebook page or the Experimental Station's website at www.experimentalstation.org. To contact the Experimental Station about the 61st Street Farmers Market or the Food Culture program, please email Market Manager Dennis Ryan at dennisryan@experimentalstation.org or call 773-241-6044.
Real Men Cook is the national Father's Day celebration in 10 leading cities. It is a Father's Day tradition communicating positive messages about urban fathers and father figures. Over 1000 men annually volunteer to cook, 35,000 attend and media extends the message to millions. President Barack Obama and CNN's Roland Martin are just a few of the men that have participated over the years. Real Men Cook ticket sales proceeds have delivered over $1 million to nonprofit partners, including Real Men Charities, Inc. www.RealMenCook.com