Downtown Milwaukee Farmers’ Markets

Milwaukee is blessed with not one, but two weekly farmers’ markets that add to the vibrancy of downtown. The East Town Market fills Cathedral Square with activity Saturday mornings. The Westown Farmer’s Market is held on Wednesday’s Zeidler Union Square. Besides providing the traditional locally grown fresh produce, the markets also include a number of prepared food options, live music, and offer up a source additional retail offerings for downtown’s underdeveloped shopping scene. When they’re in session the markets turn their respective host parks into safe and inviting places to be.

The East Town Association’s East Town Market runs Saturday’s from 9 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This year the Cathedral Square market will run every Saturday from June 2nd through October 6th, with a one week break for Bastille Days. The weekend time slot allows for more families and neighborhood residents to stroll through then a mid-day, mid-week market. Live music will be played every week, with a Bloody Mary & Chili Challenge on the market’s last day. A yard sale will take place on September 22nd as part of the market.

The Westown Farmer’s Market at Zeidler Union Square runs Wednesday’s from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The market runs June 6th through October 31st, and includes live music many of the weeks. Held on a Wednesday, the market is able to draw from the approximately 80,000 people that work downtown in addition to downtown residents. Contrary to the slower pace of the East Town Market, the Westown Farmer’s Market gives off a much higher energy feeling with lots of people stopping by on their lunch hour. The market leads into the Westown Association’s weekly River Rhythms concert series held at Pere Marquette Park every Wednesday night until August 29th.

East Town Market Photos

Westown Farmer’s Market Photos