History of Glenwood Sunday Market

 

Glenwood Sunday Market (GSM) was founded by the grassroots efforts and countless hours of work on the parts of many, many Rogers Park community members.  Rogers Park is one of the most economically and ethnically diverse community in the United States and is located on the City of Chicago’s far northeast side. 

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Glenwood Sunday Market opened for business on Sunday, June 6, 2010 thanks to the generous sponsorship of Special Service Area #24. An overwhelmingly enthusiastic crowd made the opening day successful to the point where farmers and food artisans sold out of their wares within the first hour of operations. Glenwood Sunday Market continues to surpass expectations today. Voted Illinois’ Favorite Farmers Market in 2010, Glenwood Sunday Market was also voted Third Favorite Farmers Market of its size the U.S. in the American Farmland Trust 2010 contest, was named Best Pet Friendly Market by The Reader in 2011 and won The Golden Beet Award for outstanding Food Access Programming in 2013.

 

The idea for a new Farmers Market to be located in the Glenwood Avenue Arts District of the Rogers Park neighborhood came from Rene Camargo, then-program director for SSA #24, and Bob Fields, then a Rogers Park Business Alliance Board of Directors member.  Rene and Bob tirelessly talked to friends, neighbors, colleagues and local businesses until a core group of volunteers finally came together in November 2009.  The core group formed itself into a Board of Directors, convinced the Rogers Park Business Alliance to serve as the Market’s fiscal agent.  Then, the Board contracted with a nonprofit management consultant to serve as Market Manager and the task of forming, planning and opening the Glenwood Sunday Market began.

 

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