Edmonton Farmers Markets: Where to Shop Local

Edmonton farmers markets cover the city's food calendar, from a year-round indoor market in a former bus barn to seasonal outdoor markets that open when the snow clears. The Old Strathcona Farmers' Market is the best-known of the indoor ones. Bring cash, dress in layers and eat before a long shopping list.

At outdoor markets in spring and autumn, check the weather, dress in layers and bring cash, though many vendors take cards. Other markets operate around the city and in nearby towns, and lists change from year to year.

Which Edmonton farmers markets are worth knowing?

Three are worth knowing. The Old Strathcona Farmers' Market is a year-round indoor market, open on weekends. The Edmonton Downtown Farmers' Market, on 104 Street north of Jasper Avenue, is seasonal. The Callingwood Farmers' Market, at 66 Avenue and 178 Street, runs from spring to autumn.

Other markets operate around the city and in nearby towns, so ask a stallholder which one they will be at next.

What is the Old Strathcona market?

The Old Strathcona Farmers' Market is a year-round indoor market with a large number of vendors on weekends. It operates in a former bus barn and is busiest on Saturdays. Stalls sell produce, meat, baking, preserves, flowers and prepared food, and the building is a pleasant refuge on a cold day.

Because it is indoors, it works in any weather. That matters in a city where a January morning can reach deep cold, and it means the market is as much a winter meeting place as a summer one. Vendors stock up on storage crops, and shoppers come for a hot coffee as much as for vegetables. Go early for the best choice, and expect crowds after ten. Walk the whole building once before you buy, and note which stalls have the best produce and the shortest lines. Vendors sell meat, cheese, honey, jams, pickles, bread and cut flowers, and many offer samples. A long, slow morning is the way to enjoy it.

How does an Edmonton Saturday market work?

A Saturday market is a social event. People meet friends, buy coffee and wander the aisles with bags and strollers. The stallholders are often the farmers themselves, and a question about a vegetable usually leads to a conversation.

Bring cash, though many vendors take cards. Bring reusable bags, and plan to carry a cooler if you are buying meat or dairy.

Is there a downtown farmers market?

Yes. The Edmonton Downtown Farmers' Market is held on 104 Street. It runs on Saturdays through the warm months, outdoors on 104 Street between Jasper and 102 Avenue, and closes for the winter. Check the market's website for the current season. If it is open, it makes a good lunchtime stop for people who work downtown. A walk from the office to the market, a sandwich from a stall and a bag of vegetables for dinner is an easy routine, and it supports growers directly. See the downtown Edmonton restaurants guide for a meal to follow.

What do Edmonton market days offer through the year?

Alberta's season starts later than in warmer parts of Canada. Spring brings greens, rhubarb and radishes. Summer brings peas, beans, new potatoes, saskatoon berries, raspberries and corn. Fall is the time for squash, root vegetables, apples and preserves. Winter markets sell storage vegetables, meat, honey, eggs and baking.

Honey, bison and beef are year-round items, and local sausage and perogies are common. Ask a farmer how to store what you buy. Root vegetables keep for weeks in a cool dark place, greens need a damp cloth in the fridge and berries are best frozen on a tray before you bag them. Preserves and pickles are the market's way of saving summer.

How should you shop at a market in a cold climate?

Dress in layers. Even at an indoor market, doors open and close, and you may walk from a parking lot. Bring a thermos, and wear boots with grip. Buy frozen and chilled items last, and keep them in a cooler bag in the car.

At outdoor markets in spring and autumn, check the weather. Many close early for rain or snow.

How do you pair a market with brunch?

Old Strathcona is a brunch district as well as a market, so a morning at the stalls and a late breakfast on Whyte Avenue is a classic plan. See the brunch in Edmonton guide for ideas.

Eat first if you have a long shopping list, or you will buy too much. Share a pastry from the market with a friend, and take the rest home.

Where should you go next?

For a road trip beyond the city, the Alberta food worth a drive guide covers small-town stops. The Canada guides page lists more cities.

A market haul is easy to forget. With the Mosey app you can rate what you cook from it, note the farm and the stall and build an Edmonton list of the stalls worth a second visit. Tag the stalls Market Stall or Farm Producer, and share the list with a friend who shops the same market.