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Green City Market Moves Outdoors with Chef Demonstrations

 The Green City Market will be open every Wednesday and Saturday through October 25.
The Green City Market will be open every Wednesday and Saturday through October 25.
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DNAinfo/Paul Biasco

CHICAGO — The Green City Market, Chicago's largest farmers market, is headed outdoors Saturday for the first time this year with demonstrations from two of Chicago's most famous chefs, and booths from 67 vendors.

The 2014 market opens with a new spin on its chef demonstrations, which will be given by Carrie Nahabedian, an executive chef at River North restaurant Brindille and four-time Michelin Star award winner NAHA, and Sarah Stegner, a two-time James Beard Award winner. The duo will take attendees shopping for ingredients needed for their demonstration which starts at 10:30 a.m.

"It's basically a mini-tour of the market. They'll talk about how they pick their produce, what they look for and what inspires them," said Erin Riley-Strong, communications coordinator at the market, which is entering its 16th year. The tour starts at 9:30 a.m.

The chef demonstrations are one of the many draws for the market which aims "to improve the availability of a diverse rang of high quality foods" and "to connect local producers and farmers to chefs, restaurateurs, food organizations and the public," according to its website.

Rick Bayless, Paul Virant, Jeff Mahin, Lamont Donley, and Greg Biggers are all scheduled for chef demonstrations in May.

The full list of events and chef demonstrations at the Green City Market is available here.

The market also includes 10 new vendors this year, including: Rogers Park based Co-op Sauce and the Nomad Food Company, a mobile business specializing in wood-fired pizzas. The other new vendors are Amazing Shrimp, Earth & Skye Farm, Marigold Hill Organics, Quality Organic, Savory Accents, Underground Meats, Verzenay Patisserie and Wisconsin Fermentation.

The market located at the south end of Lincoln Park between Clark Street and Stockton Drive will be open every Saturday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. It's prepared to open Saturday with no concern for the bipolar weather the city has experienced the last few months, Strong said.

"Vendors come ready with tents prepared to be outside. We're all used to the weather," she said. "A little cold won't freak us out. [Saturday looks] a little chilly but a bit sunny. I think it looks like a lovely day."

Parking is available for $10 at the Chicago Historical Museum parking lot off Stockton Drive with validation at the market info booth. Early bird parking is available for $5 on Wednesdays for one hour from 7-9 a.m. The following CTA bus routes also stop by the Green City Market: 22 Clark, 36 Broadway, 73 Armitage and 151 Sheridan.

The outdoor season runs from May 3 through October 25.

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