Categories: Travel

The largest year-round farmers market in Canada is tucked away in an Ontario village

Image via Ana Marantz/Shutterstock

Recently, my boyfriend and I went to visit our friends in Kitchener-Waterloo, and since it was a beautiful Saturday, that meant one thing: taking a stroll over to St. Jacobs Market. If you haven’t been, this is the best time of year to go in my opinion. It’s Canada’s largest year-round farmers market, and is just a quick day trip from Toronto.

“The Village of St. Jacobs is filled with authentic sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and incredible one-of-a-kind shopping that are sure to re-inspire the soul,” says the village’s website. So cute.

Open all year round, the market features a seemingly endless list of vendors selling a wide range of products, including food, drinks, home decor, wine and beer, artisan goods, and more.

Open Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., I find it’s best to get there as early as possible.

If you want to check out what’s at the farmers market ahead of time, a full directory of vendors can be found online. My personal favourite is worth the wait in line — the buttery soft pretzels at Grandpa’s Soft Pretzels. Thinking about it makes me want to get in the car right now.

In the fall, this spot is decorated with pumpkins and other fall decor and features some specialty seasonal vendors.

If, for whatever reason, you don’t fill up on treats at the market, Stockyards Brewing is just down the road. The massive space has rotating beers and plenty of pub grub such as pizzas, wings, nachos, and sandwiches.

Have the best day in St. Jacobs, and don’t forget to buy yourself a few things!