Photo Gallery: 2012 Western Springs French Market Opens

The fifth year of the Western Springs French Market kicked off on Thursday afternoon on Tower Green, moved slighty north from its normal spot on Hillgrove Avenue in front of the Green (due to the ongoing road construction project.)

“The market is building year after year," said Sebastien Bensidoun, executive vice president of Bensidoun U.S.A., who run the Market. "It’s like a baby. It’s really something that they’ve built step by step. The thing with Western Springs that I’m really pleased with is that we have a base of returning customers who keep coming back that grows year after year.”

Bensidoun emphasized his hope that the French Market enlivens the Village downtown and draws customers in to also shop at permanent local outlets. He added that the Village has been extremely supportive of the Market, a critical aspect towards its success.

The Western Springs market is one of 13 run by Bensidoun U.S.A. in the Chicagoland region, with four others running outside Illinois.

The French Market runs in the Western Springs downtown every Thursday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Check out our photos of all the vendors who showed up for the first day above to see some of the cool stuff you can pick up!