Dingley Village Farmers' Market
A neighbourhood centre farmers' market that runs the third Saturday of every month, all year, rain hail or shine.
Also known as Dingley Market.
About this market
The Dingley Village Farmers' Market is run by the Dingley Village Neighbourhood Centre, from the centre's own grounds at 31B Marcus Road, on the third Saturday of every month. Not a season, not most months: every month, all year, and the organisers put it plainly that it goes ahead rain, hail or shine.
A neighbourhood centre with a market attached
Most farmers' markets are run either by a producers' association or by a commercial operator. This one is run by a neighbourhood house, which is a different animal again. The centre's core business is community programs, and the market functions as both a fundraiser and a monthly front door: people who would never walk into a neighbourhood centre for its own sake turn up for vegetables and find out what else is in the building. The buying rule is the standard one that makes a farmers' market worth the name, with fresh food coming direct from the farmer or the food producer rather than through a wholesaler.
Market at a glance
Free parking is not a small detail in this part of Melbourne. Dingley Village sits between Springvale Road and the Mornington Peninsula Freeway in a stretch of the south east where most Saturday shopping means a shopping centre car park, and a market you can pull up beside and walk into is a genuine convenience.
The market runs every month of the year without a summer or winter break, which is unusual for a monthly market in Melbourne. Most drop January, and many pause across the coldest part of winter.
Good to know before you go
Trading is 8.30am to 1pm on the third Saturday, and as with any farmers' market the produce is deepest in the first ninety minutes. Entry and parking are both free, and parking is at the neighbourhood centre on Marcus Road rather than on the street. Bring your own bags and a card, plus cash for smaller growers. Because the market runs whatever the weather, an ordinary wet Saturday is not a reason to stay home, though it does thin the crowd, which some people count as a feature. If you want to know which producers are coming on a given month, the centre publishes updates ahead of each date. Dingley Village is on Bunurong country.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is the Dingley Village Farmers' Market on?
- The 3rd Saturday of every month, 8.30am to 1pm. It runs all year round.
- Is there a charge for entry or parking?
- No. Both entry and parking are free.
- Does it run in bad weather?
- Yes. The organisers state that the market runs rain, hail or shine.
- What are Dingley Village Farmers' Market opening hours?
- The third Saturday of the month, 6am to 1pm. The market is at Dingley Village, VIC.
- What days is Dingley Village Farmers' Market open?
- Saturday, 8:30am to 1pm.
- Is there an entry fee for Dingley Village Farmers' Market?
- Free
In season right now in Victoria
Being picked in Victoria through October. Growers set their stalls by the season, so this is a fair guide to what will be on the tables, with asian greens, asparagus and leek among the crops at their best now.
★ Asian greens
★ Asparagus
★ Leek
★ Peas
★ Potato
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Fresh herbs
Lettuce
Orange
Parsnip
Raspberry
Spinach and silverbeet- +1 more in Victoria