a busy saturday at the whistler farmers' market, and such a nice way to spend part of the weekend…read more there was a great energy to the place, with people wandering from booth to booth, stopping for food, chatting with vendors and browsing everything from fresh produce and prepared foods to handmade goods and little finds you definitely weren't planning on buying.
what surprised me most was the diversity of the vendors and products. alongside the expected farmers' market staples were korean and japanese offerings, ghee, prepared foods, specialty treats, handmade products and plenty of things that made you want to stop and take a closer look. it felt like a little snapshot of whistler's local community, with influences and flavours from all over mixed in with products grown, made and produced in the region.
the whistler farmers' market has actually been around since 1994, when it started with just one farm and a couple of crafters. today, more than 130 vendors rotate through the market over the season, with around 70 vendors typically participating at any one market. the lineup can include local farms, food producers, hot food vendors, artists, designers and makers.
one thing i really like about the market is that it isn't simply a collection of vendors bringing in wholesale products to resell. the market follows the bc association of farmers' markets' 100% made, baked, grown, raised or foraged philosophy, meaning the products are supposed to come directly from the people producing them. that gives the market a much more genuine farmers' market feel and makes wandering through the booths part of the experience.
and, of course, there were things that somehow managed to make their way home with me. picked up some lavender mosquito repellent, which seemed like a very appropriate whistler purchase considering how much time gets spent outdoors here. definitely one of those market finds that wasn't necessarily on the shopping list but made perfect sense once i saw it.
the market is set along the pedestrian only upper village stroll at the base of blackcomb mountain, so there is plenty of surrounding scenery, shops and places to stop before or after browsing. it makes it especially easy to turn a market visit into a leisurely weekend outing rather than just popping in to grab groceries.
another nice touch is the market's focus on sustainability. since 2013, aware whistler's zero waste heroes have helped visitors sort compost, recycling and garbage at the market, making the experience a little more thoughtful than your average outdoor event.
busy, colourful, full of interesting smells and plenty to discover, the whistler farmers' market is a fun weekend stop even if you're not specifically looking for anything. come hungry, bring a reusable bag and give yourself time to wander. sometimes the best finds are the ones you didn't know you were looking for.