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The Vail Farmers' Market & Art Show fills East Meadow Drive in Vail Village every Sunday from mid-June to early October, and it is free to walk. In 2026 it ran Sundays from June 14 to October 4, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the organizer counting more than 155 vendors each week. Dates for 2027 have not been announced; the season has followed the same mid-June to early-October Sunday pattern, and the organizer posts each year's details on the official Vail Farmers' Market site.
When the market runs
There are two markets now, and they are not the same size. The Sunday market is the main event. The smaller Thursday Meadow Market, which Discover Vail described as in its second year in 2026, sets up on the International Bridge for a shorter midweek run.
| Market | 2026 dates | Hours | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vail Farmers' Market & Art Show | Sundays, June 14 to October 4 | 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. | East Meadow Drive, Vail Village |
| Thursday Meadow Market | Thursdays, June 18 to September 17 | 1 to 5:30 p.m. | International Bridge, Willow Bridge Road, Vail Village |
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The Thursday hours come from the organizer's own calendar; an older Discover Vail page still lists 4 to 7 p.m., so go by the organizer's site in a new season. Neither market charges admission; you pay only for what you buy.
Where it sets up
The Sunday market stretches along East Meadow Drive, a pedestrian street in Vail Village, and the stalls are white tents set up along its length. It is a street market rather than a field or a lot, so the shape of a visit is a walk from one end to the other and back. The Thursday market sits on the International Bridge over Gore Creek on Willow Bridge Road, the crossing that links Gore Creek Drive with Meadow Drive.
Because both markets are in Vail Village, not Lionshead, anyone staying in Lionshead needs either the free in-town bus or the walk along the creek path to reach them. The Vail map guide shows how the two villages and the bus route connect.
What the vendors sell
The organizer describes its mix as farmers, artisans, chefs and food vendors, and Discover Vail says most vendors are handpicked for made-in-Colorado goods. The 2026 vendor list shows how that splits in practice.
- Produce and farm goods: farms and orchards including Wynn Farms, Peak Farms, Mountain Bluebird Farm, Vista Orchard, The Stone Fruit Company, Mt Garfield Fruit and Vegetable and Electric Microgreens.
- Meat, cheese and pantry: Vail Meat Company, Buck & Bloom Cheese Co., Björns Colorado Honey, Climax Jerky, Bob's Roasted Nuts, Pines' Nut Butter and several sauce, salt and condiment makers.
- Bakeries and sweets: Kogler's Bakery, Dar Chocolate, Dessert Lab Co, Alice's Cookie Jar and others.
- Food to eat on the spot: stalls such as The Whole Empanada, What The Crepe, Rocky Mountain Taco, Elevated Elote and Bao You Like It, plus Treff Cafe from the Sonnenalp Hotel.
- Spirits: 10th Mtn Whiskey and Archetype Distillery were on the Sunday list.
- Art and handmade goods: painters, photographers and ceramicists, along with jewelry, candles, textiles, clothing, leather and woodwork.
The Thursday list is shorter and leans toward food and produce, with some overlap: Antelope Creek Ranch, Forte Fruit, Grounded Produce and Healthy Harvest Gardens sold on both days in 2026. Discover Vail's 2026 Thursday listing sums up its purpose plainly: pick up peaches, meat and dips midweek, then come back on Sunday. Vendors change from year to year, so treat these names as a picture of the 2026 market rather than a promise for the next season, and check the organizer's current vendor page if you are going for a particular stall.
The organizer notes it cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment and asks people with food allergies to check ingredients directly with each food vendor.
Sunday or Thursday?
For most visitors the Sunday market is the one to plan around. It is the full art show as well as a food market, with painters, photographers, ceramicists and jewelers alongside the farms, and it runs later into the fall: the 2026 Sunday season ended on October 4, more than two weeks after the last Thursday market on September 17. The Thursday market is the better fit if your stay falls midweek, if you mainly want produce, meat and pantry staples for a condo kitchen, or if you would rather shop a smaller set of stalls. Its 2026 list included a few vendors not on the Sunday roster, such as Minturn Whiskey Co., Summit Pasta and Sweet Cedar Woodworking.
Parking and getting there
Vail Village is built for walking, and the organizer itself recommends the town's parking structures and the free bus over hunting for anything closer. The Vail Village Parking Structure is the nearest; the Lionshead structure and the Red Sandstone Garage are overflow choices, each connected by the free Town of Vail bus. Arriving early helps, because the organizer warns the garages can fill at peak hours on Sundays.
| Option | Summer 2026 terms |
|---|---|
| Vail Village and Lionshead structures | First hour free, then $2 an hour, up to $10 per transaction (from May 29, 2026) |
| Red Sandstone Garage, Ford Park and Soccer Lots | Same daytime rates; Ford Park and the Soccer Lots charge $20 at entry during scheduled events |
| Donovan Park, 1600 S. Frontage Road West | Free day parking with vehicle registration and a free bus into Vail Village; can be restricted on Donovan Pavilion event days |
| Oversized vehicles and trailers | Not allowed in the village core; park on North Frontage Road in West Vail |
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A Sunday market visit of a couple of hours in the Vail Village structure therefore costs at most $10 at 2026 rates. Entry after 3 p.m. is free at the Vail Village and Lionshead structures, but that arrives just as the Sunday market closes. Rates change by season, so check the town's parking page for the year you visit; the Vail parking guide covers the garages and free lots in more depth.
Dogs at the market
The organizer's site does not publish a pet policy, and leashed dogs are allowed in Vail generally. Discover Vail, the town's official visitor site, nonetheless advises leaving dogs at home for big events such as the Sunday market because the crowds can stress them. Two rules matter if a dog does come along: pets are not allowed on the free Town of Vail buses, so a dog limits you to parking close or walking in, and dogs are not allowed in Ford Park. The dog-friendly Vail guide covers the trails and patios that suit a dog better.
Making the most of a Sunday
Discover Vail's tips start with getting there early for the best produce choice and the thinner crowd, which also lines up with the parking advice. Its other suggestions are practical ones for a mountain town: dress in layers because summer weather at Vail's elevation changes quickly, bring sunscreen and water, and carry reusable bags for what you buy.
The season timing changes what is on the tables. Discover Vail points to summer for greens, tomatoes and stone fruit such as peaches, cherries and apricots, and to fall for squash, pumpkins, roasted chiles and sweet corn. If you are staying in a condo with a kitchen, a Sunday morning at the market works as the week's grocery run; if you are in a hotel, the ready-to-eat stalls make it an easy lunch, and the breakfast and brunch guide has sit-down options nearby.
After the market, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Ford Park is one option, and the summer things-to-do guide has more ideas.
Where to stay for market weekends
Staying in Vail Village puts the Sunday market within walking distance and avoids the garage question altogether. The guide to hotels in Vail Village compares the lodges closest to Meadow Drive, and the summer lodging guide covers fees and parking across town. Lionshead Village is also workable, with the free bus or the creek path linking the two villages.
Beyond the summer market
The same organizer, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working with Ren Event Productions, also runs the Vail Kris Kringle Market in December and a seasonal farm-to-table dinner series, in which local chefs cook multi-course meals from market vendors' ingredients, paired with wine. Dinner dates and tickets are posted on the organizer's site.
A short history
The market has been on Meadow Drive for more than two decades. Discover Vail describes it as starting with a few tents and growing to more than 150, and the 2026 event listing calls it "entering 20+ years" on Meadow Drive. The Thursday Meadow Market is the newest addition, running in 2026 for its second season. The organizer has not published an exact founding year on its current site.
