Aurora Farmers Market Concludes Its 115th Year

Brittany Robbins spent her Saturday morning at the Aurora Farmers Market. She picked up produce and said goodbye to the vendors. The market, located at 65 S. Water St. in Aurora, closed for the season. Robbins expressed her sadness, ‘We’re totally sad. It’s been a place to take the kids and we love to come here.’ She mentioned, ‘We’re here to get some hummus dip and coffee. We’ve been coming for a couple of years. My husband enjoys the live music.’

This marked the end of the market’s 115th year, making it the longest-running farmers market in the state. Throughout late spring and summer, thousands visited downtown Aurora. More than 80 vendors participated, offering food products and services.

Felicia Freitag, the market manager, labeled the season a success. ‘We had a good season. Traffic increased, and numbers exceeded those of the past few years.’ Freitag mentioned that visitors appreciated the activities hosted. She talked about plans for next season, possibly using the entire parking lot and bringing back a large-scale farmer. ‘People want more produce,’ she noted.

The final day included a fall celebration with mini-pumpkins for children, a petting zoo, and vendor trick-or-treating. Steve Robbins, Brittany’s husband, shared his enjoyment of being outside and seeing the vendors. ‘It’s really cool to see all of them,’ he said.

Jeannie Norris, another Aurora resident, visited the market almost every week. She was sad to see it end, stating, ‘I wish it would go until the end of October at least.’ Norris liked the social aspect and familiarity provided by the market.

Nancy Sawyer, a resident of Aurora Township, recalled attending the market since it was at the Metra train station. She highlighted the fresh, local produce available. On this final day, she filled her basket with jalapeno peppers, planning to make jalapeno poppers and salsa.

Doug Harrington, an Aurora local, has been a market regular for 20 years. He attributed the market’s longevity to the quality of vendor products. Harrington typically purchased honey, fruits, vegetables, bread, and cheese. Reflecting on the market’s close, he said, ‘I’m going to have to go and stock up.’

David Sharos contributed this report for The Beacon-News.