Rockford City Market Opening Day Line-Up

Rockford City Market opens this Friday, June 11, on Water Street between State and Jefferson Streets. Come on down between 3 and 7 p.m. and shop at nearly 20 vendors booths for food and bakery items and unique gifts. For a full vendor list, visit http://rockfordcitymarket.com/.

The RMTD trolley will run FREE 25-minute round trip routes from 3-11 p.m. servicing Rockford City Market, the museum campus, Friday Night Flix and downtown businesses.

In addition to vendors, Rockford City Market will also feature new entertainment, demonstrations and kids' activities each week. Don't miss:

Performances by Frank and Mike
Frank Calvagna and Mike Youngblood play a mix of classic and Latin jazz standards, along with their own interpretations of contemporary songs. Calvagna is a well-known jazz guitarist and has won RAMI and Best of Rockford awards both as an individual performer and for his work with the band Opan Jii. Youngblood is also a Best of Rockford winner and has performed with the bands Grooveasaurus and Mr. Big Stuff.

Demonstrations by Natural Land Institute
Members of the Natural Land Institute will provide hands-on activities for kids and adults that teach about wetlands, watersheds and rivers. An interactive watershed model shows how land use affects the quality of rainwater runoff in the Rock River. Information about rain gardens, rain barrels and natural landscaping to capture raindrops will be available.

Kids' Activities
Join Emmi Rose Productions at the kids' tent and try your hand at making "milkshaker" maracas. Other arts and crafts activities will also be included.

For more information on the Rockford City Market, visit http://rockfordcitymarket.com/.

More Rockford City Market vendors have been announced!

Rockford City Market has approved eight additional vendors for the inaugural season, bringing the total number of vendors to 16! Additional applications are still undergoing approval, so more vendors will be announced in the coming weeks. The following merchants will provide coffee, smoothies, artwork, wines, corn, gifts and beauty products:

• JavaMania Roastery
http://javamaniacoffee.com/
Espresso, smoothies, coffee

• Kurt Erickson Photography & Design
http://ericksonsphotodesign.com/
Original artwork

• PRP Wines
http://prpwine.com/
Wines by the bottle

• Twin Garden Farms
http://twingardenfarms.com/
Sweet corn

• Very Cute
Headbands, hats, pins and such

• O'Fallons
http://ofallonsflowers.com/
Fresh flowers

• Burlap Works
http://burlapworks.com/
Purses, pillows, accessories all made from recycled coffee sacks

• Wood Fire Brick Oven Pizza
Brick oven pizzas made on-site

Interested in being a vendor? Applications will be accepted throughout the market season. For an application, visit http://rockfordcitymarket.com/ or contact the market manager at 815.964.4388 or info@rockfordcitymarket.com.

And remember, Rockford City Market opens this Friday (June 11) from 3 to 7 p.m. on Water Street between Jefferson and State Streets. Don't miss it!!

Downtown Rockford Will Be Bustling With Activity This Summer!

Less than a block away from the Rockford City Market, the Rockford Park District offers great programs for all ages. To kick off a summer of fun, the Rockford Park District is hosting "A Trolley Good Time" on June 5 -- just 1 week before the opening day of the City Market!

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 5, to celebrate the season opening of the Park District’s Trolley and Forest City Queen. Be part of the "River, Rail & Rink Special," where the entire family can enjoy a riverboat cruise on the Forest City Queen, take a track trolley ride or skate at the Riverview Ice House. Meet Rocky and the Magic Waters mascots, Atwood’s Birds of Prey, and check out the new Jr. IceHogs off-ice training facility and Rapid Shot system. Plus, the Pepsi Street Team will be on hand giving out free Pepsi samples.

Admission to the event is free; tickets for the Trolley, Forest City Queen and skating can be purchased at the Trolley Station, 324 N. Madison Street. A hot dog lunch including chips and a beverage can be purchased for just $3.

For more information, including summer rates and hours, please visit http://rockfordparkdisrict.org/ or call the Rockford Park District at 815-987-8800.

And remember to head out to the Rockford City Market's opening day on Friday, June 11!

Rockford City Market Announces Four Fridays of Entertainment

The entertainment line-up for the first four weeks of Rockford City Market have been announced! Musicians will perform at the Friday market from 4:30 - 7 p.m., with a brief intermission.

Scheduled Performers:

June 11 – Frank and Mike

Frank Calvagna and Mike Youngblood play a mix of classic and Latin jazz standards, along with their own interpretations of contemporary songs. They perform extensively throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, including the Madison and Milwaukee areas. Calvagna is a well-known jazz guitarist and has won RAMI and Best of Rockford awards both as an individual performer and for his work with the band Opan Jii. Youngblood is also a Best of Rockford winner, and has performed with the bands Grooveasuarus and Mr. Big Stuff.

June 18 – Dan Voll

A four-time RAMI winner, Dan Voll is considered one of the Midwest’s most versatile guitarists performing blues, jazz, Latin jazz, world music and acoustic. He has performed throughout the Midwest, with numerous gigs in Chicago and several in Los Angeles.

June 25 – Ken Curtis

Ken Curtis has been on the Rockford music scene since 1996. He’s a two time RAMI award winner in the folk/solo pop category. His album of original songs entitled “Hours and Ours” was recorded with a host of Rockford’s best musicians and was honored as 2003’s RAMI Album of the Year.

July 2 – Emily Hurd

Singer/songwriter Emily Hurd recently released her 6th record of original music, “Daytime Fireflies.” Originally from Rockford, Hurd toured the Midwest and both coasts performing her soulful, bluesy music. Her song "The Likes Of You" won the 2009 International Songwriting Competition and the 2008 Unisong International Songwriting Contest.


Additional performers and vendors will be announced in the coming weeks. Anyone wishing to become a vendor or performer must submit a completed application to the market manager and go through the approval process in order to ensure a wide variety of goods and performance types at the market. Applications can be found at http://rockfordcitymarket.com or by contacting the market manager at 815.964.4388 or info@rockfordcitymarket.com.

Rockford City Market will take place from 3 – 7 p.m. on Fridays from June 11 – October 22 along Water Street in downtown Rockford, between State and Jefferson Streets.

Veteran Outdoor Vendors: Any tips for First-time Vendors?

Local artist Jennifer Mullin wrote a blog post on Monday about the challenges she faced with setting up her outdoor tent at May Fest in Sterling. Read the post here: "It's Not Always Sunny in Sterling." Jennifer was faced with drizzly, cold weather with high winds that made it next to impossible to weigh her tent down. Are there any veteran outdoor vendors out there who could provide some tips and best practices for setting up an outdoor booth in not-so-ideal conditions?

The First 8 Rockford City Market Vendors Have Been Announced!

The Rockford City Market has announced the first 8 vendors for the inaugural season! The following merchants will provide baked goods, cheeses, organic meats, gifts and beauty products:

• Bella Luna Bakery
Baked goods including cannoli, Italian chocolates, biscotti, breads and more

• Etim’s Beauty
http://www.etimbeauty.com/
Soaps and shea butter

• The Cheese People
http://www.thecheesepeople.com/
Cheese and dairy products

• Minglewood
http://www.minglewood.us/
Jewelry, candles, candle holders and clothing

• Tyler’s Landscaping Service
http://www.tylerslandscaping.com/
Plants and flowers

• The Meat Goat
http://www.themeatgoat.com/
Grass-fed organic beef, chicken and pork, plus eggs

• Chemung Tech
http://www.chemungtech.com/
Handmade yard pieces, walking sticks and caricature work on wood

• Choices Natural Market
http://www.choicesnaturalmarket.com/
Organic snacks and sandwiches, handmade clothing

Additional applications are currently under consideration by the market’s steering committee, so more vendors will be announced in the coming the weeks!

Applications are still being accepted. Anyone wishing to become a vendor or performer must submit a completed application to the market manager and go through the approval process in order to ensure a wide variety of goods and performance types at the market. Applications can be found on the market website at http://www.rockfordcitymarket.com/ or by contacting the market manager at 815.964.4388 or info@rockfordcitymarket.com.

Vendor and Performer Applications Now Available

Applications are now available for anyone wishing to become a vendor or performer at the new Rockford City Market! The market's 2010 season will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Fridays, June 11 through October 22, rain or shine, along Water Street in downtown Rockford, near the intersection of State and Water Streets.

The market will include local growers and vendors who sell natural products, including vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat, cheeses, flowers, herbs, baked goods, wine and healthy snacks, as well as artisans and vendors with unique offerings and performers. Vendors and performers located within a 150-mile radius of the Rockford Region are encouraged to apply.

Anyone wishing to become a vendor or performer must submit a completed application to the Market Manager. Each application must go through an approval process in order to ensure a wide variety of goods and performance types at the market. Applications can be found on the market website at http://www.rockfordcitymarket.com/ or by contacting the Market Manager at 815.964.4388 or info@rockfordcitymarket.com.

For vendors, all booths are 10’ X 10’ spaces and are rented at the seasonal rate of $500 per booth or $250 for a half season (10 weeks). For the inaugural 2010 Market season, the first booth space is free. Vendors will be charged for each additional space. Space assignments are issued by the Market Manager upon application approval. The market requires a $100 seasonal deposit or $50 half season deposit from every vendor to ensure consistent attendance. Deposits will be returned in full on the last day of the market provided the vendor attends 90% of the markets.

Performers will be determined by the Market Manager and may vary each week. Entertainment must be appro­priate for a family-oriented open-air market. Performers may set up a display area for tips, informational brochures and sale of their own recorded music.

Be a part of Rockford City Market's inaugural year and submit your application today!