While the Uptown Farmers Market has been connecting amazing local farmers and producers with customers every Wednesday since May, we here at the Chicago Market Events Team were proud to add an artistic and literary vibe to our space this month!

As we continue working toward opening the full-service grocery store that will ultimately fill the building, we are happy to join with community partners and host events like Aug. 8th's Uptown Art Fair and Aug. 15th's Pop-Up Book Sale.

Uptown Art Fair

In partnership with the local chamber of commerce, twenty-plus local artists and a DJ filled the Chicago Market space with artwork and a festive atmosphere. Nearly 1,300 people attended the fair!

Pop-Up Book Sale

The following week, we partnered with Open Books, an amazing nonprofit that provides literacy experiences to tens of thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and the sale of new and used and donated books.

Open Books set up a pop-up book sale and also invited our new friends Planks & Pistils to sell flower bouquets. What goes well with books and flowers? Coffee! So we invited the Everybody's Coffee bicycle cart to come along for the ride. We estimate 400-500 people stopped by our book sale event.

Open Books curated a special "food section" for our audience—we also put the word out for attendees to bring books to donate, and by the end of the event, Open Books' van was completely full of books!

An Alabama native and current resident of Chicago's South Shore neighborhood, John Caleb Pendleton started Planks & Pistils from a seed planted in the love of family. P&P sold the last bouquet they brought just as we were wrapping up the event!

The Everybody's Coffee bicycle cart sold out of all the coffee and beverages they brought not once but TWICE after sending for more supplies for thirsty customers. Go EC!

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Along with our earlier hosting of the Peterson Garden Project's plant sale in May, we had a blast this summer hosting a fantastic variety of special events and leveraging our beautiful, historic building to help benefit community partners. Until we start construction on the inside of the store, let's keep it going!

Not yet a Chicago Market Owner? Join us! Already an Owner? Awesome, how about Leveling Up, donating, volunteering, or just referring your friends and neighbors to come to an upcoming event to learn more about our project. Together, we and YOU can do amazing things!