Farmers Market Fun and Becoming a Gourmet Chef

Calgary has several Farmers Markets and they all offer something different. Some of them run all year round and have little restaurants to enjoy a small meal. Some are impromptu side-of-the-highway sales that come only with the warmer weather. They’re all fun in their own way and this is one of our favourite activities as a family on weekends.


It all started with the Food Network. As a new mom spending hours on the couch feeding the baby, I got into watching Chef at Home with Michael Smith every morning. One thing led to another and soon recipes were printed off and, once I had a bit more time on my hands, new and wonderful meals were prepared. I found that Chef at Home was really good for using local ingredients that I could find in my local supermarket but, once I got a little more adventurous and tried out the works of some other chefs, the ingredients were often harder to find.

That then led to exploring the Farmers Markets. Every trip I find something new to try; spices, fruits, vegetables, bread, gelato, chai lattes, pies, meats, wines, and fun things for the baby. I find that I enjoy the markets on the side of the road more than the permanent ones. The prices are a bit better for the produce and there are less people. It is nice to be able to go to a farmers market year round, though, so the permanent markets are definitely nice in the winter.

Location: My favourite markets are the Calgary Farmer’s Market at Currie Barracks and the roadside market in Bearspaw.  I also really enjoy the Millarville Christmas Market. I haven't been there yet, but I'm interested in seeing the markets at Northland Mall and Sunnyside/Hillhurst to see if they have anything interesting.
Cost: Whatever you choose to spend on the goods. The Bearspaw market is fantastic for providing samples of things to try out.
Gear for Isla: Stroller and hat if we’re outside. Sometimes we use our carrier for the market at Currie Barracks because it tends to get busy.  If you decide to head to the Millarville Market, I would recommend a carrier there as well since the terrain is hard to push a stroller around.