First ever State Street Holiday Market opens in the Loop
CHICAGO (CBS) – From Christkindlmarket to ice skating rinks to the Millennium Park Christmas tree, the holiday season is in full swing in Chicago. This year, another holiday treat is coming to downtown, where the Chicago Loop Alliance is launching a brand-new State Street Holiday Market.
The Chicago Loop Alliance said the indoor market near State and Monroe will showcase 85 local small businesses. It will feature holiday gift shopping, live entertainment, Instagrammable moments, and seasonal activities.
Most of the vendors are women-owned, Black-owned, or Latinx-owned businesses; and also participated in Sundays on State over the past two summers. Once again, local small businesses will get to set up shop on one of Chicago's busiest retail corridors, this time during the holiday rush.
"If loved Sundays on State, you'll definitely love the State Street Holiday Market," said Kiana Distasi, chief marketing and communications officer for the Chicago Loop Alliance. "We're bringing some of the experience that you might have experienced out on State Street indoors, which a lot of people appreciate during the weather in Chicago, and bringing our local small businesses and artists who were impacted by the pandemic out for an opportunity."
Distasi said it's a great alternative to online shopping so people can support small local businesses.
Englewood artist Jimmy Williams, owner of Jimmy Williams Gallery and Studio, said the Chicago Loop Alliance opened up a new segment of customers for him.
"I just do abstract art, and I'm trying to find a market – which I'm able to do here – that it would promote me as a small business. The pandemic threw a wrench in it, but the Chicago Loop Alliance was able to help me take a couple steps back, and reevaluate everything," he said. "We're just going to try to sell as much as we can, and hopefully the people that come down will enjoy my artwork as much as they will enjoy the market itself."
Williams also participated in Sundays on State the past two years, and said he's hoping to see some familiar faces at the Holiday Market.
"I've got everybody's email, so I sent everybody stuff about Chicago Loop Alliance, and I sent them everything about this State Street Market also, so hopefully I'll see them when they come down," he said.
A lot of the businesses joining the State Street Holiday Market struggled during the pandemic, so this is an opportunity for them to get a boost of support.
State Street Holiday Market will be open at 35 S. State St. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Dec. 18.