Peoria Riverfront Market

Peoria Riverfront Market sits within a downtown riverfront district shaped in part by the Peoria Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, giving this Saturday market a setting tied closely to the city’s larger visitor and cultural core. On Saturday mornings from mid-May through September, the market opens on the 200 block of Water Street with shopping centered in the River Station parking lot and the Peoria Riverfront Museum directly across the way. The mix is broader than produce alone, with local foods and flowers alongside riverfront retail and nearby attractions that make the stop feel rooted in this stretch of downtown Peoria.

Why it matters locally

The market is part of Peoria’s RiverFront district, a downtown area described through its museums, festivals, entertainment, residential living, and weekly farmers market. That placement matters because the market is not isolated from the rest of the city’s weekend activity; it operates on Water Street in a district also tied to cultural sites and recurring events.

Its food emphasis is also distinctly regional. The market highlights local produce, meats, cheese, breads, flowers, local art, and related goods, and it is identified as a producer-only market where the weekly selection changes with the growing season in Central Illinois. In practical terms, that means the market reflects what growers and makers are bringing at that point in the season rather than a fixed retail lineup.

What you'll find there

The Riverfront Market combines a producer-only food market with a downtown riverfront shopping mix, so the morning can include seasonal farm goods as well as specialty retail tied to nearby attractions. The listed vendors lean toward prepared foods, giftable merchandise, apparel, and hobby supplies, adding another layer to the produce, meats, cheese, breads, flowers, and local art promoted for the market overall.

• -Sous Chef offers prepared and semi-prepared meals and sides, described as an extension of the farmers market.
• -The Cat Merchandise Center, inside the Caterpillar Visitors Center, sells Cat footwear, headwear, and gifts.
• -The Fiber Universe carries yarns, fibers, and needles, and also offers classes.
• -The Peoria Riverfront Museum store stocks Peoria-themed merchandise, science kits, books, dinosaurs, and games.
• -Rcoutfitter focuses on footwear and apparel.

Beyond the vendor mix, the riverfront calendar adds context for a market visit. The same district hosts recurring and nearby events including the First Friday Artist Studio Tour, Peoria Historical Society tours, the Rennick Art Show at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, and Whisper & Shout at the Contemporary Art Center.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed, a rule likely to shape plans before you head downtown. Parking is straightforward: the market is located in the River Station parking lot at 212 SW Water Street, and free parking is available in surrounding lots and on nearby streets. The market is directly across from the Peoria Riverfront Museum, which makes the stop easy to place once you are on Water Street. Saturday timing is consistent during the season, with the market running every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to noon. For market questions, Chris Waible is listed as an information contact, and Sharon Gramm is named for more information or membership inquiries.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP EBT is accepted at Peoria Riverfront Market, which is an important detail for shoppers planning to use nutrition benefits on Saturday mornings. The market’s payment information is presented clearly, and SNAP joins the broader producer-only lineup of local produce, meats, cheese, breads, and flowers available during the season.