Mercado de Colores

A regular fixture in Chicago, Illinois, Mercado de Colores gives shoppers the chance to buy fresh food directly from growers and producers who operate within the local agricultural economy.

The market runs Select Saturdays 10 AM - 2 PM, June - December (Seasonal). Confirm hours before visiting as vendor availability can vary week to week.

Mercado de Colores carries Vegetables, Fruits, Eggs, Honey, and Crafts among its regular vendor offerings. Product variety changes week to week.

Mercado de Colores is part of a national network of farmers markets that have grown substantially over the past two decades. According to USDA data, the number of registered farmers markets in the United States has expanded significantly, reflecting growing consumer demand for local, transparent food sourcing. Mercado de Colores contributes to that network by giving Chicago-area growers and food producers a reliable, recurring venue for direct sales.

For consumers, the practical benefit of shopping at Mercado de Colores is freshness. Produce sold at a farmers market is typically harvested within 24 to 72 hours of sale — far less time than the average transit and distribution time for produce in conventional supply chains. That shorter journey from field to table has real implications for flavor, nutritional density, and shelf life at home. Strawberries bought at Mercado de Colores on a Saturday morning are simply a different product from strawberries that have traveled across the country in a refrigerated truck.

The economic impact of a market like Mercado de Colores is also worth noting. When you spend money at Mercado de Colores, most of that money stays within the Chicago area. Small farms and food businesses that sell direct-to-consumer do not depend on wholesale distribution margins, which means a larger percentage of each sale goes back to the producer — and back into the local economy. That is a meaningful difference from shopping at a national chain retailer.

Shopping at Mercado de Colores means investing directly in the Chicago local economy and supporting the farmers and makers who produce food for the region.

Mercado de Colores participates in the SNAP/EBT program, allowing benefit recipients to purchase eligible fresh foods directly from local producers.