all votes for Urbana's Market at the Square
Freshest veggies around and many are grown organically.
I love getting fresh local food!
It is near where I live and work - keeping it local is important to me
Lots of variety and great produce.
The Urbana farmers market combines great food, great prices, and a great atmosphere!
It's a great local resource for fresh, local food!
I live within walking distance of it and there is a nice variety of goods among the vendors. The atmosphere is friendly so it is a place for family and friends to say "hi". Even the dogs brought by owners seem to enjoy it!
It is awesome and wonderful for building community pride and engagement.
Delicious, fresh food and great people! Nothing more to wish for!
The Market at the Square is open to a wide variety of farmers from East Central Illinois. These include vegetable, fruit, and livestock farmers. Special items include artisan goat and sheep cheeses, grass fed beef, and ground lamb.
Unlike some farmers markets, the farmers at this market grow everything they sell. There is a tremendous variety of produce, meats, cheeses, honey, pastries. Even the food vendors are using local ingredients. There also is a strong community element and some of the best local musicians.
Fresh and fun..........that's what it's all about. And my daughter from the Chicago area raves ours downstate is so much better organized and variety than any up north.
The Urbana Market at the Square is something I look forward to every saturday. In fact it is a reason why I love living in Urbana
Great variety - but more important, great farmers!
Awesome selections of fresh produce, organic foods, always something new
I support Urbana's Market at the Square because it's excellent! Produce, meats, cheeses, honey, salsa, plants, etc. Overflowing with goodness!
The best vendors and the best variety! Saturday morning at the market is my favorite time of the entire week!
It's a wonderful market with lots of variety located in a small Illinois community which is the partial home to the U of Illinois. Progressive, open, and with wonderful vendors who bake, grow and create for their fellow residents.
The variety of items brought in with local vendors (truly local!) help me follow a healthy lifestyle!
Yay, it has great variety and fresh local fooood
I've always loved it since I discovered it, but this year, wow. My favorite place to be on Saturday mornings.
amazing local bacon!
It's good stuff!
It's a great place to find local produce.
Wonderful variety, plenty of organic vegetable options, and a great location with plenty of free parking. I go there for authentic NY-style bagels and other baked goods, for garden plants and flowers, for handmade gifts and for all the fruits and vegetables I can't grow in my small yard.
It has great venders
Because it is such a fun place to visit and is an absolutely wonderful tourist attraction,to say nothing of all the great food, crafts and music.
Urbana's Market at the Square is a great way to start every Saturday morning. The feeling of community there is amazing, and it's always fun to try a new recipe using the fresh, local ingredients that I get there.
The people are friendly and the food is delicious.
Its the most colorful, fun place to be in town. The steaks at Triple S Farms alone would make me get out of bed every week.
Great produce, great folks, great atmosphere!
It's a great way to support my community and at the same time get quality food, plants, and homemade items while listening to some local entertainers.
Ahh the berries are to die for. Kettle corn, Prairie Farms goat cheese. Fresh eggs. And the entertaining pups.
So large and varied, I can get almost all my produce for a week there - locally grown, supporting farmers directly, and cheaper than the supermarket!
The people there are so vibrant and alive and the quality of the items they sell is top notch.
The market is great! Not only are there amazing fruit, vegetable and flower options but baked goods, desserts, and the best crafters and artists in East Central Illinois. It is ALWAYS a great way to start a Saturday morning, even if you don't buy anything (but we always do) just going to experience the music, atmosphere, people AND dogs is a great time!
I heard so much about the Urbana Market at the Square when moving here a couple of years ago, and all the hype was so true! The food is always amazing, and the people are so friendly and lovely. Who wouldn't be surrounded by all that fresh produce? My husband and I go almost every week--truly the best way to spend a Saturday morning!
Wonderful selection of fresh fruits and vegitables.
It's a great local market and my kids love it.I wait for it all winter and when it comes, it makes me very happy!
To support local farmers & artisans
Great people, produce and pride!
I look forward to this market every week. I love having fresh produce, goat cheese, and artisan bagels, of course, but also enjoy running into everyone I know, and meeting their dogs.
Wide variety of excellent fruits and veg, baked foods and prepared local
Foods. Great place to see neighbors and friends and peoplewatch.
Fresh, local, delicious. What isn't there to love?
HUGE selection of wonderful locally grown foods, including a tropical greenhouse grower, cheeses, meats, and plants.
it is awesome healthy food and fun!!
It's colorful, it's friendly and it's an easy way to buy fresh, local food and support sustainable agriculture.
This market has the strong support of our community and has become THE Saturday event to start off the day. Great vendors, moves inside when the weather starts turning. Only way it could be improved is having a Midnight Market at the Square, for those of us who like to sleep in on Saturdays!
provides the best and freshest food from local sustainable growers
The Urbana Market has great vendors who are always friendly and answer questions you may have about their produce and/or products. It's a great place to bump into friends and people watch.
The Farmer's Market is fantastic! High quality food and crafts, great atmosphere, fabulous music, arts, etc. I make sure I go with at LEAST 20 bucks every saturday!
I've been to a lot of markets across the country, and Urbana Market at the Square brings community together like none I've ever seen.
This has always been a fantastic market with lots of local farming presence and I can't imagine any other market comparing!
I support local and organic farming in Il. with more safe food for our state.
Great vendors, wonderful produce and food. A great atmosphere.
great variety,great location.friendly vendors
Love fresh vegetables!
Shopping locally and directly from the farmers is the way to go!
It has so much more than any farmer's market I've ever been to, and really great produce and salsa!
I love the quality and variety of produce and baked goods, and I like supporting local farmers, bakers, and artisans. Plus, I love running into friends and stopping to listen to the buskers. My son likes the dogs, berries, muffins and sprouts.
I want to support our local vendors, and love to attend the farmer's market to shop.
Market at the Square is a community tradition that has withstood and grown with time. People inside and outside Urbana come to the market to enjoy the people, the music and of course the great buys of food and goods.
I just love the fresh, organic produce and meats. What a terrific variety. The atmosphere is wonderful too. It very unique and very social
Love the setup and the feeling of being at home. The vendors are very friendly!
My 1 year old and I LOVE to go to the Farmer's Market at the Square and get yummy fresh strawberries, corn, tomatoes and see all the awesome sights.
Great produce, fun atmosphere, new vendors every year. We love it!
it's one of the best farmers markets I've ever seen! outshines markets in NY, CA, and VA certainly. LOTS of vendors, organic produce, and definitely a community gathering event.
Wonderful produce, baked goods, plants, entertainment. A fun way to spend a Saturday morning with the kids.
the produce is wonderful and the producers are marvelous, helpful people. Lots of great art and interesting items to be found.
Strawberries, tomatoes, asparagus, corn, peaches, potatoes, greens, meats, herbs, squash...what's not to love?
I love people-watching, the music, and tasty baked goods.
I love the Urbana farmers market because of its quality; its local focus (only Illinois-produced food and crafts -- and soil scientists tell us central Illinois has one of the top three or four most productive farm regions in the world); because it's so lively (5,000-10,000 visitors each Saturday); and because so many residents of our international community participate. It feels like it's truly supported community-wide. I leave smiling. Just being there I feel like I'm contributing to a community institution. Plus the farmers market is so professionally run by the City of Urbana.
Fantastic produce and so much more!
I feel that we should support our local market. Our vendors offer us a large variety of wonderful merchandise and the fruits, vegetables, and herbs are locally grown. The baked goods are fresh and the best in the state. I think it's important to support our local vendors and farmers. They work hard to bring the market to the square and it shows.
It is so good to have a venue where we can buy fresh food, locally grown--supporting our neighbors and the environment in this way.
Oh, darn! I clicked on the dog. That's what happens when I read e-mail at 2 a.m.
large, with a good variety of produce and allows a good variety of venders. From eggs and meats to honey and flowers, fruits and vegetable along with tons of just everything a farmer or local artist could produce. Is wonderful. Including street proformers.
It is just a great fresh food market full of wonderful vendors.
A great selection, fresh foods, often at lower cost than the supermarket.
There's always a variety of great local produce. There are also wonderful people there! It's great to see the community come together in this way.
Awesome fresh vegetables, arts, and causes! A true community gathering place!
great local foods and art, great people, nice location.
Delicious food, great location, and wonderful people!
Not only a terrific way to support local businesses and efforts but also a great social event in and of itself! A wonderful way to spend an hour or two on a Saturday morning - a good reason to get up bright and early
It is an INCREDIBLE market with lots of variety and a wonderful way to spend you Saturday morning!
Great food, crafts, and organizations, filled with lots of great people! It's a Saturday morning must for my family from mid-May to mid-November.
Lots of vendors selling produce, baked goods, locally raised organic meat and eggs, artists, local organizations handing out information, and GOAT CHEESE! :D
Location, location, location, plus an amazing assortment of goods for sale! It's a weekly tradition!
Great local food from the friendliest vendors! Love love love the bagel guy!
They have the friendliest people and the best produce! I only buy from the market. :)
Fresh, local, and helps build community!
Heirloom tomatoes, rhubarb, sprouts, basil, local watermelons, corn, pumpkins, spring mix, green beans, zucchini, broccoli, sugar snap peas, eggs, cornmeal, cilantro, garlic, onions, carrots, kohlrabi, thematic bike racks.
Friendly and knowledgeable vendors
The freshest produce, baked goods, salsa, jams, etc.
Great music from local musicians
I like to support our local farmers and it's also a great time to get together with friends on a Saturday morning.
I love all the fresh, affordable, locally produced veggies. All the vendors are super friendly and it's a great place to get in touch with other community members. All the cute dogs and puppies are also a nice addition!
I do most of my shopping here, and enjoy talking with the farmers along the way. Local farms = local food!
It's a Saturday tradition that has influenced me immeasurably over the years. I remember putting my babies in the little red wagon, pulling them over to the market, and filling their laps with corn, tomatoes, peaches, and whatever.
Proof there is life in Urbana!
It's *the* social scene in town every Saturday all summer, with every kind of local food imaginable, at every price level!
I worked at the market for four years. It was one of the places in town that made me feel like CU could be a real home and community. The market is also one of the only spaces in which people from all sectors of society rubbed shoulders. We have a wonderful market here in Irvine, CA, where I live now, but it's just not the same.
I'm from Urbana but now live in FL and the Market at the Square is one of the things I look forward to when I visit
This is one of the best farmer's markets I've ever been to! The selection is always diverse and every season there is always some new produce item I've never seen or tasted before. I've made lots of great friends with the farmers and crafters - never hurts to really know where your goods come from!
There are so many things there to be happy about--local produce, food, art, music, families...you name it. A beautiful, friendly reason to get up early on a Saturday.
It is full of amazing food, amazing artists, and is a weekly celebration of everything I love about my community!
It's freaking awesome.
I have lived in other cities with farmers' markets, but there is something special about the one in Urbana that really feels like the community is closer knit when you're there. I feel it is especially important in times like these to purchase locally grown foods, but it was a hit even before the economic downturn and is still thriving. I don't know what I would do without it.
Urbana's Market at the Square reflects the spirit of Urbana--independent, fresh, local...I love it! This is a market people care about. I always see more people I know at the market than any other event or business in town.
Delicious, local foods and a pleasant atmosphere for shopping and browsing.
Friendly, lots of pets, delicious foods, what more can you ask for! I love shopping local.
Quality of the products, and the benefits of a regular event at which neighbors interact.
yummiest peaches!
It's a great place to be on a Saturday morning!
Locally-grown organic food within walking distance is what all the world's people need. My neighborhood and I are lucky enough to live within walking distance of one of the Midwest's most vibrant weekly Farmers' Markets.
Wonderful Saturday morning community activity. Great produce, plants, baked goods, crafts, and wonderful people.
good people good produce
We are growing more than corn and soy in the midwest!
Great food, produced locally, within easy walking distance. What's not to love?
It's a great mix of music, groovy art, clothes and jewelry, and of course, fresh, fabulous local produce. Don't leave out the community folks promoting their organizations, either. The baked goods are great, and the people, dog and baby-watching are unparallelled.
When the breeze is right, I can smell the basil from my house. If I follow my nose, I'll find friends, breakfast, and usually something new.
Great community resource and gathering place - source for locally grown food, created arts. I love supporting local growers, artist and businesses this way.
I can walk there and buy wonderful, local food.
Great Produce, Great Culture
Great goat cheese and organic produce.
The Market is greatly organized, has top-notch vendors, and a huge loyal clientèle. I love "eating from the market" each week. Fresh, organic, seasonal, & local. All good.
It's all about the people. Meeting the farmers that supply me with incredible quality, healthy food. Seeing friends there every week. Learning about local organizations. It is an incredible asset to the community!
I'm used to a big public market, one of the oldest in the nation. But the smaller Urbana market has hands-down the best LOCAL produce I have ever consumed. I love being able to prepare 2/3 of my meals using food purchased from within 15 miles of my home. Simply stated, the City of Urbana Market at The Square is the locavore's dream.
I love buying fresh foods at the Market on the Square. The organizers are always bringing in more vendors, and the selection is very diverse.
The vendors, the food, the scene! It is the highlight of our week.
The variety and quality of excellent local products consistently impresses me and others who visit.
Tons of food, excellent variety, and always very lively.
good fresh wholesome foods all season long
Awesome locally farmed produce, interesting crafts, and very energetic organizer who gets the word out and grows the community through Facebook and Twitter.
They have a long history of thoughtful people, produce and friendliness. We actually bought our house because it was within walking distance to the market. Now the local co-op is right behind them. It's great!
Lots of options for locally grown, organic produce, many artists with interesting crafts, and quite frequently empty spaces are filled with new faces, keeping the market fresh and fun to visit. I don't miss a week unless I have to.
It is the best market with fresh organic products and fine arts and crafts with reasonalble prices
Market at the Square has quality produce, variety of goods, and high entertainment value. More than just fruits and vegetables, it also has organic meat, crafts, pastries, political and other informational booths, music, and an eating area. It's the ongoing social event of the summer in Champaign-Urbana.
Because you get an early chance to start the day fresh! Plus it was around before it got so fast to be the place of gathering for the Progressives.
That market has been there every summer for years. My aunt and uncle used to have a booth there years ago.
Variety of offerings, festive atmosphere.
Not only does it provide us with the freshest fruits and veggies, it's also a great way to support local farms!
I grew up in Urbana with Farmer's Market; it is a wonderful part of this town that I hope always remains here :)
The Urbana market has the best fruits and vegetables from central Illinois, in addition to delicious fresh baked goods, meat, cheese, etc. I look forward to it all week!
Brings the community together, has a great selection of fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs...pretty much anything you want.
Local, fresh fruits, vegetables, and much more!
Our Urbana Market is a wonderful place to source great food, from basic to ethnic and unusual, plus I get such a lot of enjoyment browsing around the stalls full of stuff from local artists and crafty types. Besides the produce and giftware, everyone is friendly, there is usually splendid ice cream, often locally picked mushrooms in season, a good variety of plants for sale, and great people-watching. What a great morning out!
I love being able to buy fresh, local meats, produce and cheeses... and each year it gets better and better.
The Urbana Farmers Market is the best Farmer's Market I've ever seen. The diversity of locally grown food is amazing. There's vegetables, fruit, grass-fed meat and eggs, honey, artisanal cheeses and bratwurst but there's also locally roasted coffee, bread and pasta made by locally owned shops, and even specialty items like homemade dog biscuits and bean sprouts. In addition, the market is home to many local artists sellign a wide variety of crafts from handcarved wooden statues, beautiful photographs of region, handcrafted necklaces, and more. But the market is more than just a place to buy great stuff and promote the local economy, it also brings the community together. Seating is available so that patrons can sit down and enjoy a nice breakfast purchased from one of the vendors while listening to one of the many street musicians scattered throughout the market ranging from bands who will be playing sets at a club later in the evening to 6 year old kids playing a scratchy version of Mary had a little lamb on their violin to raise money for childhood cancer. The market is very much more than just a market (although it's a really good one), it really is a institution of the community.
Delicious fresh produce and meat from humanely raised animals, all from local vendors.
we love the Urbana Market at the Square. We go every week. We've really gotten to know some of the farmers, and feel like we are making a difference when we purchase from them rather than the grocery stores. The atmosphere of our market is amazing. the mixture of produce, crafts, live music, and awareness/political kiosks is the perfect combination, and attracts a great crowd. I havent gone to a single market yet where I havent run into someone I know!
They bring value to the town by providing a FUN atmosphere where people can bring their familes and pets while shopping for healthy food and supporting local artists
It is as varied and comprehensive as can be. You can virtually get anything you would expect at a Farmer's Market and some things you don't expect. It is like a little small town for a few hours a week where you can see lots of neighbors. From the dogs to the musicians it is just plain fun.
It has become a Saturday Destination with a capital D! Truly fun for all ages with something for everyone while sticking to organic/local market ideals.
I love the local, organic produce there
It's amazing! The farmer's are friendly and the produce is great and it's wonderful seeing everyone there.
Fresh, flavorful food and friendly farmers: FABULOUS!!
Our farmers market has such a diverse mix of products and produce - as well as entertainment, services, and organizations represented. Market at the Square is becoming its own robust community! With the amazing guidance of Lisa BK, the market is now networking in creative ways it never has before and I am more engaged as a result.
I look forward to every Saturday!
Great food, great art, great music and wonderful people!
Awesome place to meet people and get good food and crafts!!!
It is the largest farmers market in the nation!
Good variety and selection, local farmers, fresh baked goods and produce,
healthy, seasonal,locally grown!!!!! nice place to run into neighbors, old friends, and make new connections!
It's easily the best Market in the Midwest. After all, ours is the richest, and most capable soil in arguably the world!
I don't know who Lee Trail is, but there's not much more to add...she says it all. We LOVE our Market! It extends indoor to the little mall when the weather gets poor just about up to Thanksgiving!
It is wonderful representation of organic produce, meats and crafts from central Illinois.
Not only does the Urbana Farmer's Market have quality vendors, but it has great live music including bluegrass, klezmer, classical, you name it. Baked goods, organic produce , fruit, vegetables, flowers, plants, quality crafts galore, organic meats, eggs, goat cheese, homemade toffee, interest groups including an Islamic mosque, political parties, cycling groups and on and on. This market has become a Saturday morning gathering spot for people from the twin cities and surrounding towns. It builds a sense of community and acceptance of diverse factions. Besides, it is just plain fun.People really come out to support the local vendors. A big plus is people get to see and meet every conceivable kind of dog, which is great socialization for the dogs and a chance for people, who don't have pets to get a fix. It is also a good place for people to meet well-mannered pets, so they can get over any fear -- or not. In other words, it is a happy, live and let live welcoming atmosphere.
