Some Island markets pack up when the weather turns. The Duncan Farmers’ Market does not. It runs every Saturday, year-round, in historic downtown Duncan. Winter hours, from October through March, are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In summer, from April through September, the market opens an hour earlier, at 9 a.m., and still closes at 2 p.m. Right now, that means a 10 a.m. start under the tents.
The official site says you will find “a sea of tents in the market square on Craig Street and down Ingram Street,” with more than 100 vendors. As a true farmers’ market, it gives priority to farmers and growers, and also hosts artisans and makers. The list of goods on the homepage is long: produce and in-season fruit, honey, eggs, cheese, meat, seafood, wines and spirits, baked goods, plants and flowers, pastas, jams, pickles and other specialty items, plus food trucks. The market invites people to plan Saturday brunch on site and sit down with whatever is cooking that week.
Vendors, the market says, comply with federal, provincial and local rules for prepared foods, high-risk foods, alcohol and controlled substances. That is worth knowing if you are shopping for meat, seafood or a bottle to take home: you are buying from people who are supposed to be licensed for what they sell. The contact line on the site is 250-732-1723, or info@duncanfarmersmarket.ca.
If you have not been in the off-season, winter is a quieter but still regular appointment — rain cape and coffee recommended. Hours can change around holidays, so the official site, and the “This Week’s Market” link on the homepage, are the place to confirm before you go. Vendor, non-profit and musician applications are handled through the market’s own “become a vendor” page; the market says it adjudicates year-round even after the bulk of a season’s applications have been processed.
Good to know
- Every Saturday, year-round, in downtown Duncan (Craig Street market square and Ingram Street).
- Winter (October–March): 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Summer (April–September): 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Details: duncanfarmersmarket.ca, 250-732-1723.
Image: Screenshot of the Duncan Farmers’ Market homepage.
Photo: Duncan Farmers’ Market, Screenshot of official source page, via source.
