Downtown Farmers Market

The Downtown Farmers Market is a small to medium-sized market that takes place on Wednesday afternoons in the plaza outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Downtown Farmers Market at the Vancouver Art Gallery

The Downtown Farmers Market, formerly the Yaletown Farmers Market, used to run in the late afternoon from June until the beginning of October in the plaza outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. In recent years, however, it happens in the North Plaza outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

When is the Downtown Vancouver Farmers Market

The Downtown Farmers Market happens on Wednesdays between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm. The market usually opens on the first Wednesday in June and runs until around mid-December. In 2026, the market opens a little earlier than normal. The dates for this year are May 13th to Dec 23rd in 2026. Because the FIFA World Cup is happening at nearby BC Place Stadium, the farmers market won’t be open for three dates: June 17th, 24th and July 1st.

In celebration of Indigenous History Month, in some years there’s a special opening ceremony during the first market of the season. Several Indigenous vendors participate throughout the month as well. This won’t be happening in 2026.

What to Expect

At the Downtown Farmers Market you can expect the usual assortment of fruits and vegetable stalls, but also vendors selling art, toys, clothing, unique gifts and other interesting handcrafted items. There is also usually live music.

The Downtown Farmers Market isn’t one of the Lower Mainland’s biggest summer markets by vendor numbers, at least not since it moved from its former Yaletown location. It’s also far from the busiest.

The market offers a good selection of products for sale, and its location, in the heart of downtown Vancouver, is convenient (although parking in the area is expensive). The market only has around 24 vendors, which is slightly fewer than average compared to most other places.

At its peak in the summer there have been up to about 36 vendors at the market in recent years, and by mid-fall, in early October, there can still be about 20 stalls.

Music at Downtown Farmers Market

Downtown Market Parking

Being an urban market, the Downtown Farmers Market is conveniently located close to shops and restaurants. Parking isn’t as convenient – or as inexpensive – as it is at other markets, however. Public transit is great, though, and there are both street parking spots and parkade lots in the area.

Downtown Farmers Market