Summer Season has begun
Spring into summer season every Friday 9 til 12.30. 8.30 early bird shoppers
Thanks to all of you who kept the market going over the winter months, we notice, your food producers notice and we thank you sincerely for your dedication and spending.
We all look forward to our 16th season of summer markets and hope you will continue to find what you need the most and every Friday and maybe add something new to your shopping list too.
We are joined by our regulars and long timers plus some new foodies and artisan crafters.
May the upcoming summer season be a great one for you too.
Great coffee, brunch, buskers & fine company
Join the real food revolution and eat your way to good health.
For more up to date info remember to plan your week join up and be a friend… you receive news every Wednesday on whats what on Friday.
2025- 2026
We operate in all weather, come prepared. 8.30 early bird shopping over summer!
Summer season to end of April early May 2026.
Winter markets May to end of Sept
Special Markets for 2025/26:
Show Day Show Time Market - Friday Nov 14th
x 3 Christmas Markets:
Friday Dec 12th
Friday Dec 19th
Extra Special Christmas Market Tuesday Dec 23
NO MARKET ON Boxing Day Market Dec 26th
New Years Market Jan 2nd 2026
9 -12.30 All Weather All ways.
Your commitment through the lousy weather days is appreciated by your producers of food. We won’t let you down.
New to the scene?
Then here are some pointers to make the market work well for you...
1. Don't be fickle: We don't have time for crystal ball reading. Being a market outside means we operate it outside in all weather on the basis that you eat every day and very well especially on Fridays! So prepare and keep coming because your food producers, growers and ready to eats bake and make and harvest for the markets every Friday regardless of how lousy the weather is predicted to be.
2. This Farmers Market is a working market,it's for local regional artisans who predominately produce, grow, make and sell their own products direct to you. We try to foster a resilience that starts with us ensuring your food is ready for you on Fridays, your part in that resilience is easy, just turn up and spend, that's the point.
3. More than just a coffee catch up; its a way of life for many if not most of the artisans and working stallholders, it's the alternative food system that the industrial food system enabled by mistake. If you just crawled out from under a supermarket trolley you might like to know this is localisation in action and you can be part of it.
4.Just being local was never a good enough excuse; it's in the things that you do that matter. The best local actions start here on Fridays with the best of intentions.
5. Big thanks for being part of something special. Thanks to you as a shopper, your food sources and food community and your alternative artisan scene is that much stronger for all the right reasons.
It's one in the eye for the food industry globalist Goliath. We like that.
FYI Practical stuff: Operation Market:
We close at 12.30pm with the ring of a bell!
Hear it? When you hear this at the market it means pack up time, this bell is for the stallholders and maybe for you. It tells them its ok to pack up and drive into the market space. So please be aware and considerate. Vehicles get in the mix and that means you should take care and vacate the courtesy OFM seating/tables. Stallholders and staff are often eager to go home at the end of the market after having started work in the little hours, if you want to linger you are welcome and you can use the domain tables available, please also dispose of your own rubbish.
Thanks for helping the market run smoothly.
Customers parking .... Summer: Arrive early for easy access parking in the adjacent hall car park or in the domain car park. You can also park along Whites and west end of Mill Road. Take care when parking along the verges and please respect our neighbours bits of grass and mailboxes.
YOU CANNOT PARK IN THE STALLHOLDER PARKING IN THE DOMAIN.
NO BUSES.
Special needs car parking is normally available at the gatehouse off Whites Rd, but you need to be early.
We provide an EFTPOS facility for limited cash withdrawals, we are not a bank, but perhaps we should work on that.
Not open until from 8.30 and closes at noon.
Many business stallholders only have cash sales.
Most business stallholders have their own EFTPOS facility.
Some folks love all animals they might make great companions but do not make great market friends when there is a lot of food around and when in winter set up. Keep it on a short leash or out of harms way.
This is not something we debate.
Over summer we support CHARITY JAMS a great wee local initiative by Marg and Cath and North Canterbury Community Wellbeing who are the helpers and recipients of the Good Friday Great Cake Competition held annually.
