Wicker Park Farmer’s Market draws gamers and celebrity chefs alike

CHICAGO (WGN) — Tucked away along Milwaukee Avenue, swarms of people from near and far were drawn to the Wicker Park Farmer’s Market and its unique blend of nearly 60 different vendors.

Hay Day turns virtual game results into real life groceries

One of those vendors was a pop-up from a familiar mobile game called “Hay Day.”

“There are actually a lot of people who do play Hay Day because there are a lot of people going through the line and they had like a bunch of stuff too,” Ramsey Wells said.

For those who may not be familiar with Hay Day, it’s a game users can download on their smartphone or other mobile devices where the goal is to create farms and trade crops.

During the Wicker Park Farmer’s Market Sunday, players like Wells said they got to trade virtual crops for real ones at the market.

“I have so many crops in my silo, I ended up getting like two bags-worth,” Wells said.

Farmer market flowers are a big hit

Celebrity chef Rick Bayless was among those interested in the selection of flowers available at the Wicker Park Farmer’s Market Sunday.

“For the three decades that our restaurant has been open, we have worked very strongly to develop a really strong agricultural economy here by buying all of these farmers’ products,” Bayless said.

He bought bouquets from Petal’s Farm in far northwest suburban Huntley, run by Ed Kapelak and his daughter, Heidi Ong.

“We always enjoyed growing flowers,” Ong said.

That passion goes back about 30 years. Ed and his late wife, Nancy, were two of the original Wicker Park Farmer’s Market vendors.

“The wife enjoyed doing it and what not, and I just kept it going with the daughter,” Kapelak said. “Of course, we’re a team (laughter).”

A team, like many others at the Wicker Park Farmer’s Market, who is passionate about offering their very best to those who stop by.

“Bottom line, with anyone, just step outside the box, do what you enjoy [and] embrace every day,” Ong said.