Nanaimo’s year-round farmers’ market does not pack up when the nights draw in. It simply moves indoors. Island Roots, which bills itself as Nanaimo’s only year-round farmers’ market, is open every Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Beban Park. From October 21, 2026, to May 5, 2027, the market is inside the Centennial Building, beside Frank Crane Arena. In summer it operates in the same park, weather permitting, still on Wednesday afternoons.
The market hosts farmers, producers and artisans from around Vancouver Island. A weekly vendor list goes out by newsletter and on the market’s social channels, which is the easiest way to know who will be there on a given Wednesday. Parking is available in front of the arena and around the Centennial Building. Bus routes 30, 40, 50 and 25 all stop around the park, and the market says bicycles are welcome.
A Sunday holiday market is planned for December 20, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. As of the market’s current homepage, a waiting list was being taken for that date. Island Roots notes, with respect, that it operates on the unceded territories of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
If you have only ever been in the outdoor months, the indoor season is worth a first visit. The hours are short and mid-week, which makes the market a useful stop on the way home, and the hall is an easier place to shop than a windswept parking lot in January. For vendor updates and any last-minute change, start at islandrootsmarket.ca.
Good to know
- Wednesdays, 3–6 p.m., year-round at Beban Park. Indoors in the Centennial Building from October 21, 2026, to May 5, 2027.
- Holiday market: Sunday, December 20, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A waiting list was being taken at the time of writing.
- Details: islandrootsmarket.ca.
Image: Screenshot of the Island Roots Farmers’ Market homepage.
Photo: Island Roots Farmers’ Market, Screenshot of official source page, via source.
