Midwest SOARRING Foundation

Vendors Wanted for Standing Bear Market!

We are holding Summer Solstice Ceremonies at our Fire Circle + Medicine Wheel Garden at Heritage Village in Lockport AND the McKee House in Glen Ellyn.

Our Medicine Wheel garden is coming in nicely!!

This is fantastic news!

American bison are once again moving together across the land in a way not seen for about a century, and that return means far more than the movement of a single species.

Bison are natural engineers of the prairie. As they travel, graze, and roam, they shape grasslands in ways other animals cannot. Their hooves break up soil, their grazing helps plant life renew, and their waste spreads nutrients that feed the ecosystem around them. Each movement helps create healthier ground for grasses, insects, birds, and other wildlife.

For many years, bison were pushed out, fenced in, or reduced to small managed herds, cutting off the large-scale movement that once shaped entire regions. Bringing them back together in migration helps restore a rhythm the prairie depended on for generations.

Their return is not just about saving bison. It is about healing grasslands, rebuilding balance, and bringing life back to an ecosystem that evolved with them. In many ways, when bison move, the prairie begins to breathe again.

VENDORS WANTED FOR STANDING BEAR MARKET!

Are you an artist, crafter, maker, grower, baker, herbalist, jewelry maker, woodworker, small business owner, or creator of unique products?

We’re looking for YOU!

Standing Bear Market is building a vibrant community marketplace filled with handmade, homegrown, and one-of-a-kind goods. If you create it, grow it, make it, or produce it, we’d love to have you join us!

📍 Location, location, location! Standing Bear Market is located at the bottom of the hill leading up to the Trackside Farmers Market in the Metra parking lot. Visitors walk through SBM on their way to Trackside, giving our vendors fantastic visibility and access to a steady flow of shoppers.

❤️ You do NOT need to be Native American to be a vendor. We welcome creators, growers, makers, and entrepreneurs from all backgrounds.

Why join us?

🌱 Connect with customers who value local products
🎨 Showcase your creativity and craftsmanship
🤝 Become part of a supportive vendor community
🛍️ Grow your customer base
❤️ Support a meaningful cause

All booth fees directly support the mission of the Midwest SOARRING Foundation, helping fund Native American cultural programs, educational initiatives, community events, and outreach that benefit Native people and allies throughout the region.

Whether you’re an experienced vendor or just getting started, Standing Bear Market is a great place to share what you do with the community.

Please share this post and help us spread the word to artists, makers, growers, bakers, and small businesses looking for a great market opportunity!

MSF Standing Bear Market is looking for vendors to fill our spots at the new Trackside Farmers Market in historic downtown City of Lockport, Illinois,! Application link in comments.

Watch this page for details!