Fountain Square was graced by an early evening lake breeze on Thursday as visitors sampled local beer, browsed and shopped for handmade art, some danced in the square, others enjoyed listening to DJ selections, while others stopped in for a bite at one of the area eateries.
“Thursday Night Markets creates enticing layers of opportunity for open air entertainment right here in downtown Evanston, while showcasing locally-rooted makers and artists,” Evanston Made founder and executive director Lisa Degliantoni said.
The event sponsored by Downtown Evanston and Evanston Made, provides a pop-up four-hour street festival, encouraging those who live in the area to come out and stroll and those who work in the business district, to stay around after work hours, Degliantoni says.
Downtown Evanston does a great job at clustering these fun opportunities together, according to Degliantoni, creating a festival atmosphere that captures all the different layers of community.
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Thursday’s market featured an eclectic variety of artists, makers, and retail shops, music by DJ Johnny Price and craft beer from Smylie Brothers Brewing Co.
featured at the Thursday Night Market in Fountain Square, an open air market showcasing locally-rooted makers and artists.
“A layered event, that’s what really what brings people out – especially since the pandemic when we all learned how to stay at home and watch Netflix in our our pajamas,” Degliantoni said.
Sharon Rafos of Evanston attended Thursday.
“This is my first time, I love the idea of an open-air market, and I like supporting artists and vendors and shops in Evanston,” Rafos said.
Boruch Lev is an Evanston Made member and working artist from Skokie.
“The evening market makes it so easy to come out and enjoy a few hours of selling and talking with people on the street about your art, it’s such great exposure,” Lev said.
Executive director of Downtown Evanston, Annie Coakley says they’ve been doing some version of this event for at least 16 years, and during the pandemic in 2021, they decided to try the first Thursday market format.
Each of the four Thursday Night Markets, features 25 maker booths with rotating artists and vendors, so that each month provides a unique experience, with remaining dates on August 4 and September 1.
“It was really about offering a fun-filled summer event that would enrich our community and give artists a chance to come out and sell the work they make,” Coakley said.
Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.