Our guide to Virginia’s Farmers Market Lovers Trail

No matter the season, Virginia has tons of great farmers markets worth exploring. Notably, northern Virginia has a cluster of markets that can be visited along a trail. We suggest starting in Fredericksburg and looping around to Marshall, but it can also be done in reverse. Even if you don’t have the stamina to go to multiple markets in a single day, you can always hit up a new market each week. 

Here is our guide to 12 northern Virginia farmers markets.  

Fredericksburg Farmers Market

Location: Fredericksburg 

Photo courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation

The Fredericksburg Farmers Market is a lively open-air market at Hurkamp Park that offers homegrown, homemade, and hand-baked goods by local farmers and bakers. “Products sold at Hurkamp Park include vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, breads, baked goods, plants, flowers, dried flowers, herbs, holiday items, and more,” reads the website for the market, which is open from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays from April through October. 

Dale City Farmers Market

Location: Dale City   

The Dale City Farmers Market has been offering Prince William County residents produce, meats, plants, and other locally grown or created goods since 1987. With nearly 50 vendors in the summer and more than 30 in the winter, it’s one of the largest open-air markets in the region. During the winter, it’s open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. the rest of the year. No matter the season, coffee from Manassas-based El Viajero Coffee will surely hit the spot. 

Old Town Farmers’ Market

Location: Alexandria

Photo courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation

Shrouded in heritage, the Old Town Farmers’ Market has been operating each Saturday morning year-round in the Market Square plaza for more than 260 years. In fact, it’s the oldest farmers market in the country that has been held continuously at the same place—even George Washington used to send his produce from Mount Vernon to be sold there. “Today, the market offers residents of and visitors to Alexandria a way to reconnect with the past, while participating in an ongoing local and national tradition,” the site reads. “During the peak season, there are more than 70 vendors offering fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, cheeses, breads, pastries, fresh pasta, pickled vegetables, cut flowers, potted plants, soups, fabric art, and paintings.” Sterling-based artisan creamery Blue Ridge Dairy Co. is a regular vendor at the market, which is open from 7 a.m.-noon every Saturday. 

Columbia Pike Farmers Market

Location: Arlington

The Columbia Pike Farmers Market offers a variety of local products including produce, meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods, and prepared food. Conveniently, you can shop online and pick up your order at the Columbia Pike tent. For something sweet, pick up a jar of pure, raw honey from Beane Family Farm, which uses Arlington and Luray bees. The market is open year-round on Sundays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

FRESHFARM Arlington Market

Location: Arlington

The FRESHFARM Arlington Market is described as one of the largest markets in the region. The market bills itself as a “weekly celebration of local food.” It has everything from farmstead goat cheese to pastured bison. “At the Arlington market you can get all your groceries and more, not to mention the opportunity to join in the camaraderie of the market community,” the website reads. Conveniently, the market has a list of what’s in season on its website, along with seasonal recipes. Loudoun County bakery start-up Little Austria is among the many vendors at the year-round market. 

FRESHFARM Ballston Market

Location: Arlington

FRESHFARM Ballston Market is the perfect market to visit on a hot summer day due to its location in the shady, tree-filled Welburn Square, easily accessible by foot, car, or public transportation. “Stop by on your way home to pick up groceries, or grab an empanada, a cup of coffee, and chat with our vendors, and friendly neighborhood market manager,” the site reads. “The market has fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats and pastured eggs, sweet and savory baked goods, prepared foods such as empanadas, rice bowls and pastries, and pantry staples like hot sauces, locally roasted coffee, pickles, pasta, kimchi, dips, and more.” While you’re there, grab a bag of locally grown dry-roasted nuts from the Chantilly-based Family of Nuts. The market runs from April through November.

EatLoco Farmers Markets

Locations: Arlington and Ashburn 

With four markets—One Loudoun, Brambleton, Loudoun Station, and Met Park—EatLoco can serve as a trail all on its own. One Loudoun is EatLoco’s flagship farmers market, with over 130 vendors and 4,500 weekly customers in 2023. Chantilly-based Blue Ridge Pickling is among the many vendors, so be sure to give a jar of their habanero pickles a try. The One Loudoun and Met Park markets are open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays, whereas the Brambleton and Loudoun Station markets are open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. The One Loudon and Brambleton markets are open year-round, but the other two are only open seasonally.

Fairfax Farmers’ Market

Location: Fairfax

The Fairfax Farmers’ Market has been offering local produce and wares to shoppers for more than 25 years. Although it is open on Saturdays and Sundays, the Saturday markets are the busiest with upwards of 40 vendors. After buying a prepared food item like a gluten-free baked good from Oakton-based Bright Bird Bakery, enjoy it at one of the onsite picnic tables. The market is open May through October from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 

Great Falls Community Farmers Market

Location: Great Falls  

The Great Falls Community Farmers Market is the place to go if you want fresh produce—in fact, it’s a “produce-only” market. As a farm-to-table market, it only allows vendors who grow, cultivate, produce, or make their products. Cold Country Salmon in Falls Church is just one example of the many local producers that regularly attend the market. It’s open every Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. during the spring and summer months. 

Loudoun Valley Homegrown Market

Location: Leesburg 

Loudoun Valley Homegrown Market is the place to go for “fresh food, beautiful crafts, and a supportive community.” according to the site. The Leesburg market operates year-round on Saturdays at the Virginia Village Shopping Center. The producer-only market is always packed to the brim with local goods like authentic artisan bread from Harrisonburg-based Staff of Life Bread Company. 

Archwood Green Barns

Location: The Plains 

Photo courtesy of Archwood Green Barns

Archwood Green Barns holds various markets from April to December, including early spring markets, regular markets, and holiday markets. “Come enjoy a unique Sunday farmer’s market destination in Northern Virginia, rich in history and Virginia-grown bounty,” the site reads. “Roam the indoor vendor stalls in the historic horse barn and browse outdoor vendor tents to find wholesome ingredients for a week of health meals and artisan gift items.” Market hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sundays. 

Marshall Farmer’s Market

Location: Marshall 

The Marshall Farmer’s Market runs weekly from 4-7 p.m., May through October. The market bills itself as offering “fresh and local from the finest artisans and farms in the region.” Notably, there’s always something new at the market, providing a good reason (or reasons) to go back again and again. The Culpeper Hemp Company was one of the market’s 2023 vendors.