julie

Does anyone know if there are any flea markets in the downtown Chicago area this coming weekend---or ever for that matter?

what

Maxwell Street

Kris

I don't know of any flea markets in downtown Chicago. I have been to a couple Swap-o-rama type flea markets in Chicago but they are not downtown and consists of mostly new (sometimes stolen) merchandise.

For antiques and collectibles, there is a rotating schedule of flea markets on the weekends at county fairgrounds-Kane on the 1st Sunday of the month (and preceding Sat.), Lake on the 2nd Sunday, Sandwich on the 3rd Sunday. I've never been to the one on the 4th Sunday, it might be Will County.

This link has a list of some of the flea markets in the Chicago area
http://collectors.org/FM/US_il.asp

a

As mentioned MAxwell street aka Jew-Town

shasson

Julie, Maxwell Street Market, although in a new location, is still a great Chicago experience on a Sunday morning. This is the City of Chicago's official link about the market:
http://www.ci.chi.il.us/ConsumerServices/maxwellstreetmarketinformation.html

Try some Mexican food from one of the stands--you won't get any better tacos in the US. And get a pork chop sandwich or polish sausage from Jim's!

Julie

Thanks for the replies. We did go to the New Maxwell Street Market first thing Sunday morning and had lots of fun. We went right as they were opening on Sunday morning and the food did smell fabulous. Unfortunately we ate too much for breakfast and weren't hungry!! Got some great buys though!

One thing though, it is not a tourist destination and it was very difficult to find a cab to get home. A cabbie who was off duty and had his little girl with him took pity on us. We were told (by the cabbie) that we were not in a safe part of town.

derrik

"Jew-Town"? When did this become "Fodor's Racial Slur" site?

xxx

Maxwell St. was known as jew-town for a lot of years. My mother in law, who is in her 70s, used to visit there when she was young and that is what she refers to it as.

mary

I just had to respond to this. My family lives 100 miles west of Chicago, but my father (farmer) brought cattle in to the Chicago stockyards years ago, and bought my mother's engagement ring in Maxwell St., along with his suits (until my mother got a hold of him and had a tailor fit him better.) Great memories! Our family is going into Chicago for two nights over Christmas break. Maybe we can visit the Maxwell St. experience. Will it be open the end of December, first weeks of January? Thank you, Mary

Jesse

open year round