Vendors
VENDOR APPLICATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE.
About 150 vendors participated at Market at the Square in 2011, selling a variety of Illinois-grown or -made products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, farm-raised meats, eggs, cheese, honey, baked goods, ice cream, prepared foods, pet foods, plants, soap, and flowers. Artisans and crafters offered original works of art including woodturning, jewelry, wrought metal, batik, clothing, hand-woven rugs, and much more.
Some vendor stats for you:
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The Market averaged 66 vendors per week during the 2011 season. -
Over half of the Market's vendors come from somewhere in Illinois besides the Urbana-Champaign area - this includes craft vendors from as close as Savoy and peach growers as far away as Murphysboro.
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While some of the Market's vendors have been around since the Market first opened in 1979, the average length of time a vendor has been at the Market is about 3-5 years. In 2011, about 40% of our vendors were brand new.
Market staff are proud of the diverse product mix brought to patrons every Saturday during the season and strive, every year, to bring new vendors in who can help meet the demand for locally-produced goods - especially local produce, baked goods, and prepared foods. We're particularly interested in adding more organic produce, heirloom vegetables and fruits, fluid milk and other cow's-milk dairy products, and "hot food" meant to be consumed at the Market.
Did we miss something? Email your suggestions!
