The Cannery Farmers’ Market was a winter market at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Richmond‘s Steveston Village on Sundays from October until April.

FARMERS MARKET CLOSED FOR GOOD

The final market at the Cannery took place in the early spring of 2020. After six years of operations, the event is no longer taking place at the historic site. The Steveston Farmers and Artisan Market still happens, but outside the Steveston Community Centre and not in the winter months.

To learn about similar events that are still running, check out Vancouver Farmers Markets and Lower Mainland Winter Markets.

Steveston’s Cannery Farmers’ Market

Running from late October until the end of April, the Cannery Farmers’ Market used to be a bi-weekly event that ran from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm.

2020 Market Dates

Market dates in early 2020 were scheduled to be February 9 & 23, March 8 & 22 and April 5 & 19 (although the second half of them were cancelled due to COVID-19. So it used to take place most months during the winter (but not all), and it took place roughly once every two weeks (but with some exceptions).

Market Location

The Cannery Farmers’ Market happened at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery which is located at 12138 Fourth Avenue in Steveston Village.

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery is a national historic site that showcases the region’s fishing industry and salmon cannery-related history. It’s a museum with interesting displays about salmon and antique fish-canning equipment.

Up until 2020, admission to the Gulf of Georgia Cannery was usually around $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and free for children less than 18 years of age. On market days, however, the attraction was free for everyone (which made it an exceptional time to go)!

Music at Cannery Farmers Market — Live music and market vendors

What to Expect on Market Day

Around three dozen or so vendors participated in the Cannery Farmers’ Market, so it was about an average-sized market. Up to about half a dozen vendors set up outside the Gulf of Georgia Cannery building, and another 24 to 30 or so set up right inside the national historic site.

At the market there was usually a local musician or band playing live music. There were also vendors selling everything from exotic soaps to jewellery, cards, candles, gourmet chocolate, honey and homemade jams and other food items. There was sometimes a person selling handmade clothing or leather goods, and a farmer or two selling fresh produce, eggs and/or organic meats.

The market subscribed to the Canadian Farmers Market philosophy of “make it, bake it, grow it, catch it” which meant products you’d find for sale were local and had been handmade, home-grown or caught by locals.

The Cannery Farmers’ Market called itself a “farmers market,” and it was, but it was really more of a “winter market” or “artisan market.” Whatever it technically was, it was a great market and made for a nice bonus for people visiting the national historic site.

We liked this market for a number of reasons including the fact that it was at a historic site that offered free admission (on market days) and that Steveston Village is a beautiful place to explore.

Another thing that made this market stand out was that it was primarily indoors, which was different from most of the Lower Mainland’s other main Winter Markets. It rains a lot in winter and the Gulf of Georgia Cannery is a good place to be on rainy days!

People at the Steveston Farmers Market — Steveston Farmers Market in the Summer

Other Information

For further details about Richmond’s winter market click Cannery Farmers Market. For more information about the venue check out the Gulf of Georgia Cannery and for ideas on other things to do in the area click Steveston Village.

Did you know that the Cannery Farmers’ Market wasn’t the only market in the region? From May until October (so when the Cannery Farmers’ Market isn’t running) the Steveston Farmers and Artisan Market takes place outside the Steveston Community Centre at 4111 Moncton Street.

For a list of markets in other places click Lower Mainland Winter Markets or Vancouver Farmers Markets.

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