Spring market season in Metro Vancouver starts properly in May, which means May is when you get the markets before the full summer crowds arrive. Vendors are engaged. The produce is actually local and seasonal — early asparagus and rhubarb from the Fraser Valley rather than the end-of-road tomatoes that show up by August. And the neighbourhoods around the markets are easier to move through before the warm-weather crowds settle in. Here’s the spring market circuit worth knowing.
Granville Island: The One That Runs Year-Round
The Granville Island Public Market operates 363 days a year and is at its best in spring when the seasonal produce vendors start bringing in early local strawberries, the first asparagus, and rhubarb from the Fraser Valley farms. The market’s advantage in spring is that it’s operating at full quality but below peak tourist volume — the summer lineup situation hasn’t arrived yet, and you can actually take your time at the fishmonger or the cheese vendor.
The island itself in spring has the returning energy of a neighbourhood coming back to life: the outdoor seating fills up on dry days, the artist studios are open, and the small ferry between Granville Island and the south shore of False Creek starts its seasonal run. Go on a Saturday morning in May and stay for at least two hours.
Steveston Farmers & Artisans Market
The Steveston Farmers & Artisans Market runs Sundays, 10am–3:30pm, at the Steveston Community Centre parking lot. The 2026 season runs May through October — check the official market website or the City of Richmond before making the trip. It’s smaller than Granville Island but genuinely local — the vendors are from the Fraser Valley and Richmond farming community, the seafood sellers often have product directly from the boats that work the Fraser mouth, and the prepared food options reflect the community rather than catering to tourists.
Combine the Sunday market with a walk along the Steveston waterfront and a stop at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery — the full spring morning circuit in Steveston takes three hours at a comfortable pace and costs almost nothing if you’re disciplined at the market stalls. Transit from Richmond-Brighouse SkyTrain via bus 410.
New Westminster Farmers Market at Tipperary Park
The New Westminster Farmers Market at Tipperary Park runs Thursdays, 3pm–7pm. The 2026 season runs March 26 through October 29. It’s the market that regional food writers mention least and that locals actually rely on — no performance, just vendors with produce, baked goods, and prepared food from the Fraser Valley and the lower Fraser River farming area. The park setting is pleasant and the market has been operating long enough that the vendor quality is consistent.
Pair the market with a walk down to the Quay waterfront afterward — Columbia Street down to the river is fifteen minutes on foot, the Fraser River views from the quay are good in spring, and the Fraser River Discovery Centre is free and worth thirty minutes. The whole Thursday evening circuit from the SkyTrain to the market to the river makes for a solid spring outing.
The Cloverdale Area in Surrey
The Cloverdale area in Surrey has a seasonal market that reflects the agricultural character of the surrounding community — Cloverdale borders Langley Township and the Fraser Valley proper, which means the produce vendors are actually local in a way that some city markets aren’t. The historic main street of Cloverdale runs adjacent and has antique dealers, independent shops, and the Museum of Surrey which is free to enter.
Getting to Cloverdale without a car requires a bus from King George SkyTrain, so it takes planning but is manageable. For drivers, Cloverdale’s market and heritage main street make one of the more complete spring morning options in Metro Vancouver if you’re willing to go south — just check the current season dates before going.
Fort Langley Village Market
The Fort Langley Farmers Market runs in the village square from May through October. The setting — a heritage village with the historic fort next door, surrounded by Langley’s agricultural land — makes it one of the more atmospheric markets in the region. Vendors reflect the Langley agricultural base: berries start arriving in June, but May brings asparagus, early greens, and the established artisan food producers who have been operating here for years.
Fort Langley works best as a full day. Pair the market with a walk through the village, a visit to Fort Langley National Historic Site (admission applies — the fort’s history as BC’s founding site makes it worth it), and lunch at one of the restaurants on Glover Road. The drive from Surrey takes about 40 minutes; the WCE commuter rail from Waterfront is an option on weekdays. Don’t rush it. The village is small enough to walk completely and interesting enough that you’ll stay longer than planned.
What’s Actually in Season in Spring at BC Markets
- April–May: asparagus, rhubarb, spring greens, radishes, early peas
- Late May–June: strawberries (Fraser Valley strawberry season is the spring-to-summer transition)
- Year-round vendors: eggs from small farms, honey, artisan bread, preserved foods from previous summer’s harvest
- Seafood in spring: halibut season opens; salmon varies by year and quota — check current DFO openings
- What to skip in spring markets: imported tomatoes and peppers being sold as local — they’re not
Spring market season is the honest food season — before the volume of summer overwhelms the quality, when the vendors are engaged and the produce is actually from nearby. The markets are smaller and quieter in May than they will be in August. That’s not a disadvantage. That’s the point.
