Farmers Market

All about everything else at Marriott's GREAT AMERICA
User avatar
xxlatinogueroxx
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:46 am
Location: Waukegan, IL
Contact:

Farmers Market

Post by xxlatinogueroxx »

I have noticed in the Sky Whirl Photo Album a picture of the Farmers Market...same name? Anyways, in the center of the court there was a stand of some sort with the color orange. Does anybody remember what it was? Sorry I cant paste a picture on here, it would be easier to explain.
User avatar
steven
Site Admin
Posts: 553
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:12 pm
Contact:

Post by steven »

I believe that you are referring to a small bandstand or performance stage that was used for entertaining those who were eating at Farmers Market.

Steven
User avatar
xxlatinogueroxx
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:46 am
Location: Waukegan, IL
Contact:

Post by xxlatinogueroxx »

^ Maybe, the one I am talking about was in the middle of the food court in between the tables and chairs.

Was the band located across the market along with its own stage?
User avatar
steven
Site Admin
Posts: 553
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:12 pm
Contact:

Post by steven »

There was a gazebo in the middle, with tables and chairs inside it. The bandstand was out at the edge of the seating area. Here's a photo:

Image

Steven
User avatar
xxlatinogueroxx
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:46 am
Location: Waukegan, IL
Contact:

Post by xxlatinogueroxx »

Thanks alot, nice picture. Wow it looks way different now then it did before.
User avatar
BrianPlencner
Tidal Wave
Posts: 209
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Carpentersville, IL

Post by BrianPlencner »

Steve,

Thanks for posting that picture.

By the way, was that taken in the Gurnee Park, or the Santa Clara one?
===========================================
Mr. Brian Plencner
SFGAm Employee: 1988-1992
User avatar
redfishpaw
Tidal Wave
Posts: 510
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:58 am
Location: Milwaukee
Contact:

Post by redfishpaw »

Nice picture, I believe that later on, the gazebo at gurnee was open on all sides.
User avatar
steven
Site Admin
Posts: 553
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:12 pm
Contact:

Post by steven »

Brian,

I think this photo is Santa Clara.

Steven
User avatar
RLAiello
Tidal Wave
Posts: 207
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 8:23 pm
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Contact:

Famer's Market

Post by RLAiello »

Both parks had identical seating arrangements and gazebos when they were built (I miss the way it used to look). SC kept theirs that way for a long time. When I visited in 1990 they still had it the same as when Marriott built it, but by then Gurnee had taken all the structures down and it really looked univiting. Farmer's Market was really nasty in Gurnee until after Time Warner bought Six Flags, then they did a complete revamp of the Farmer's Market area... which brought new pavillion style coverings and new theming to the area. As far as I know it retains this today, and it really looks nice.

Here's a couple pics I took when I visited in 1990. One from Sky Whirl (RIP) and one from across the main path.

Image
Image
Rick Aiello
SFGAm Employee 1988-1999
Roger
Buzzy Bee
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 5:35 pm

Post by Roger »

Hoo boy, does this bring back memories.

I worked at Farmers Market back in the early 80s in Santa Clara. They even had the audacity to make me a LEAD (boy was THAT a mistake!). I remember slinging fries at Andres (is that still even in existence?)

Thanks for the site. Takes me back a long way.

Although I'll freely admit that I'm incensed about their removal of the triple ferris wheel. That was the best ride in the park, followed (in order) by Willard's Whizzer and Triple Play.

But then, my taste has always been more than a little questionable.

Roger, Andre's French Fries, 1981, 1982
User avatar
that_guy
Tidal Wave
Posts: 482
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 9:10 pm
Location: Pacific Grove, California

Post by that_guy »

^ You have good tastes :)

Anyways, SC has replaced it with canvas canopy. I've noticed that most of the original seats are still being used, although some colors and styles are mixed and matched.

Does anyone know exactly what they sold here when it was Marriott? I'm guessing they didn't sell rice bowls at that time (what I always eat when I go there).
The rides are GREAT, the shows are GREAT, the fun is GREAT, at Marriott's Great America! REMEMBER Marriott's GREAT AMERICA, REMEMBER Marriott's GREAT AMERICA!
User avatar
RLAiello
Tidal Wave
Posts: 207
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 8:23 pm
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Contact:

Post by RLAiello »

It's scary that I can do this... but my sister worked for many years in Farmer's Market, so that's why I know these things. I also have pictures of the Santa Clara Farmer's Market in 1990-- each and every single stand.

Sometimes I worry about my geek-ness when it comes to this park. ;-)

Jose's Taco Cantina
Giovanni's Spaghetti
Corn Dogs
Schultze's Wieners
Andre's French Fries

These were in the original configuration of Farmer's Market in both parks and remained as such for many, many years. They still remained in 1990.

I don't know the original names of the other areas, but in Santa Clara in 1990 they were (with their Gurnee names in parens):

County Fair Cones - (part of Giovanni's in Gurnee)
Oriental Express (Interestingly, this location and Corn Dogs were interchanged location-wise in both parks...)
Croissandwich - Santa Clara (Called Gyros to Go in Gurnee)
Mucho Nacho (called Steve's Deli in Gurnee)
Burger Barn (called County Fair Grill in Gurnee-- This location and "Schultze's Wieners" were interchanged between both parks)
Pizza Express (Gurnee only-- in the mid-80s they added this stand to their Farmer's Market, so Gurnee's Farmer's Market actually has one more stand than Santa Clara.)

There was also a beer kiosk in the Gurnee Market, and the Corn Dogs stand in Santa Clara sold beer. Years later in Gurnee, this was one of the only places in the park where you could even buy beer.

Also, the larger kiosk building at the left of the Farmer's Market complex was built as a Belgian Waffle station originally, but has changed over the years as well. In 1990, Santa Clara called this "Market Munchies."
Rick Aiello
SFGAm Employee 1988-1999
User avatar
Glorfindel7
Tidal Wave
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:18 pm
Location: Chicago Suburbs

Post by Glorfindel7 »

The Farmer's Market brings back many memories for me. I remember the "Jose's Taco Cantina" and the French Fries. I think that was also one of the places in the park where you could get the foot long hot dog (the other being Yukon Do It in Yukon Territory...)
binks drake
Gulf Coaster
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:26 pm

Post by binks drake »

Right Now, Gurnees Farmers Market consists of Jose's Cantina, Panda Express, Schulz's hot dogs, Dippin Dots, Andres Fries, County Fair Grill, and Papa John's (It has anothern name but i can't think of it).
User avatar
RLAiello
Tidal Wave
Posts: 207
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 8:23 pm
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Contact:

Post by RLAiello »

Does Andre's still use these cups for their fries (as seen on the front page of the "Food" section of this site)?

Image

I know they did for all the years that I worked there.
Rick Aiello
SFGAm Employee 1988-1999
Post Reply