Celebrate the Harvest at Vancouver Fall Markets
Local farms and markets in Vancouver are bursting with freshly harvested produce in autumn. Whether it’s crisp apples, Brussels sprouts or squashes, your shopping basket will be full of the best of the season.
Make the most of the fall by browsing farmers markets and taking pics among pumpkins in an expansive field. And while you’re out exploring, don’t miss the chance to experience Vancouver’s stunning fall colours—from fiery maple leaves to golden forest trails that make every outing picture-perfect.
Skip the grocery-run and instead, visit a bustling farmers market, such as Trout Lake in East Vancouver or Downtown in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Local farmers set up stands with mountains of turnips and beets, and are happy to talk to customers about their produce. Often, their kids are behind the till, making for a real family affair.
Farmers markets are also a great place for sampling and buying unique gourmet goods, like old fashioned mead from Humblebee Meadery and fragrant pear lavender spread from Mandair Farms.
Usually, a local musician plays in the market, singing cheerful tunes while everyone compares stalls for the best apples that day. It’s a community gathering, and both locals and visitors are invited to join in with free admission and lots of friendly faces!
With its sparkling views of Burrard Inlet, the SeaBus is a serene way to get from downtown to North Vancouver. Once you land, you’ll be at the vibrant Shipyards District, a neighbourhood that has become a hub for dining, socializing and shopping in recent years.
Look for the letter “Q” on top of a red and white building to locate Lonsdale Quay Market, home to many unique boutiques and food establishments. From now until October 1, the Quay, in partnership with Coast Valley Markets, is holding a farmers market on Wednesdays, where food lovers can stock up on fresh local produce, baked goods and artisanal food products.
Pumpkins and their alter egos, jack-o’-lanterns, take over Capilano Suspension Bridge Park during Canyon Frights, which runs from mid-October to early November. Other decorations like graves and spiders are the work of the ghostly hosts, Elizabeth and Mac. The pair, who used to own the park back in the early 1900s, will pop up to say a friendly boo.
After taking plenty of photos with pumpkins and bright lights, the whole family can dig into slices of autumn spice apple pie at The Cliff House Restaurant.
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then what about a whole festival for apples? UBC Botanical Garden’s Apple Festival returns the weekend after Thanksgiving, celebrating all things apple.
The event goes way beyond the usual Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples. Instead, at the Tasting Tent, visitors can sample dozens of varieties, and take bags of apples home too. A pear might sneak its way into the apple mix too.
Meanwhile, apple cider gets poured, along with servings of pie and candy apples. And while there are crafts and games, nothing beats an exuberant jump into the leaf pile.
The “Magic of Fall” experience lives up to its name at Abbotsford’s Taves Family Farms, which transforms into a fall wonderland mid-September to the end of October.
The farm features an extraordinary pumpkin patch, complete with a display of hundreds of pumpkins that form patterns of jack-o’-lanterns and a winding blue river. Guests pose at a fairytale princess carriage surrounded by heirloom pumpkins before testing their wits in one of three corn mazes.
Don’t forget to pick a pumpkin from the patch to carve at home, or use to make pumpkin pie for tasting the bounty of autumn.
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