LITCHFIELD – The City of Litchfield is ready to welcome everyone back to the annual Litchfield Pickers Market. You can start getting your picks on Sunday, May 14 and on the second Sunday of every month through October, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Co-hosted by the Litchfield Tourism Office and Prairie Pickers, this renowned market is an exclusive, juried sale of items produced or crafted prior to 1985 and items repurposed from antique materials.
While it is the largest open-air pickers market in the area, Mark Brazel, owner of Prairie Pickers, describes it as a “big get-together of pickers,” with the antiques and stuff being “just kind of a bonus.” The market does have a festival feel to it with live music in Carnegie Park, food vendors on almost every corner and the vendors welcoming both new and returning customers to their booths.
Music performers will be taking the stage in the park throughout the season with two shows at each market. Many popular musicians from past markets are returning this year and some new performers will also be introduced. On May 14, Avery Kern will warm up the stage in the morning starting at 9 a.m., and P-Nut and The Shells Duo will take over at 12 p.m. to keep the sounds going into the afternoon right up until the market closes at 3 p.m.
Visitors can park around the perimeter of the closed-off streets of the market (adhering to any parking signage), and parking is free, as is admission.
Be sure to bring something with you to haul out your finds, be it a full-sized pickup truck, a Radio Flyer wagon or anything in between. Please do not bring your dog with you as pets will not be allowed to join in the fun.
Stop by the Litchfield Tourism information booth on the west side of Carnegie Park and check out the 2023 Litchfield Pickers Market T-shirt and the classic pickers logo T-shirts, caps and shopping bags. Here you can also learn more about the market and Litchfield tourism information in general.
Food will be available at the intersections along State Street. Food vendors and their locations are listed at the Tourism Information booth as well as on the Litchfield Pickers Market website.
Some streets will be closed from 4 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month throughout the season to accommodate the markets. State Street will be closed from Union Avenue (Route 16) south to Sargent Street. The east-west streets of Kirkham, Ryder and Edwards will be closed from Madison Street east to Monroe Street. Any vehicles left in these areas during those times will be towed at the owner’s expense.
For more information, please follow the “Litchfield Pickers Market” Facebook page, visit visitlitchfield.com or call the tourism office, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at 217-324-8147.
