The Whistler Farmers Market features dozens of vendors selling fresh produce and artisan products in the Upper Village between early summer and mid-October.

 

Whistler’s Artisan and Fresh Produce Market

Whistler’s outdoor farmers market is a really good one. It includes a great collection of vendors that sell locally-grown fruits, vegetables, handmade products and baked goods. It usually takes place on Sundays, Wednesdays and some Saturdays.

The market is a non-profit society that prides itself in aiming to be zero waste and having all locally-grown produce and locally-made items for sale. On busy days there are up to about 90 different vendors who attend the market and sell their goods.

Last year, and again in 2021, the market has been smaller than in previous years because of COVID-19 and the need for physical distancing. In the last couple of summers up to just 40 or 50 vendors have been participating. Also because of the pandemic and physical distancing logistics and other reasons, the market has had a couple of new venues.

 

 

Where and When is the Market?

In years when there isn’t a global pandemic, the Whistler Farmers Market takes place in the upper part of Whistler Village near the Blackcomb gondola. It’s open for business on Sundays from 11 am until 4 pm from mid-May until the Thanksgiving Sunday in October. It also usually happens on Wednesdays in July and August. There is also a market on the occasional Saturday.

In 2020, because of COVID-19, the market had slightly different dates and a new venue. It was going to start on May 17th. That date though got postponed until July 5th. After that the market was also open on Sundays as well as on Wednesday, August 26th, and on the Saturdays of August 1st, September 5th and October 6th.

Normally the market takes place in Whistler’s Upper Village along the pedestrian lane between just before Merlin’s Bar & Grill at one end and Chateau Boulevard at the other, with the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in the middle. On busy days when there are lots of vendors, the market stretches for about a quarter of a kilometre (so it’s pretty big).

Because of the coronavirus and need to limit the number of shoppers and help facilitate physical distancing, in 2020 the market took place outside the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre which is just a block further down the street at 4584 Blackcomb Way.

In 2021 the market has yet another new venue. This year it’s in the parking lot of the Whistler Racket Club at the other end of Whistler Village. The address is 4500 Northlands Boulevard just off Lorimer Road.

 

 

Vendors

There are many different kinds of vendors at the market which means there are a variety of goods and services available for purchase. At the market you’ll find vendors selling everything from coffee to fresh produce, meat, art, ceramics, clothing, baked goods and chocolate.  There are also usually stalls where you can buy jewelry, products for your pet, wine and other alcoholic spirits

 

Things to Think About

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most out of your farmers market shopping experience.

1. If you are in Whistler on a market day, go and check it out. It’s one of the best farmers markets within 200 km of Vancouver.
2. When you buy from a vendor at the market you’re supporting a local farmer and small business, both of which are great things to do.
3. The fruits and vegetables at the market are likely fresher than what you’ll get at the supermarket, and the artisan products are likely made locally and by hand (and not simply imported from overseas factories). If you want to try tasty local food and buy unique and genuinely Canadian souvenirs, this is a great place to do that.
4. Browsing all the vendor stalls and chatting with the vendors can also be lots of fun.
5. The largest and busiest markets are the Sunday markets, especially from June until early September. They are usually larger than the Wednesday markets. The ones on the occasional Saturday are also pretty big, especially when they happen on a holiday weekend (like around Canada Day).
6. If you are ever in Squamish on a Saturday between April and October, another market to check out is the Squamish Farmers Market. It’s usually smaller than the one in Whistler, but it’s also a good market. You also drive pretty close it when travelling between Whistler and Vancouver.

 

 

Other Information

For more information about the resort town’s outdoor public market see the Whistler Farmers Market website.

For a list of similar markets in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, click Lower Mainland Farmers Markets.

Other articles that might be of interest include Whistler’s Calendar of Events and Whistler’s Top Attractions.