Sunlit Stalls and Artisan Fare: Hawke's Bay Farmers' Market

By Alyssa | WhatsOn local events writer Alyssa picks out timely events, local favourites and useful places to eat, stay and explore.

Operating continuously since 2000, the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Market at the Tōmoana Showgrounds is widely celebrated as one of New Zealand's oldest and finest regional food markets. Every single stallholder operates under a strict regional charter: everything offered across the stalls must be grown, reared, caught, or handcrafted right here in Hawke's Bay. It turns a regular Sunday grocery run into an essential culinary pilgrimage, showcasing the extraordinary bounty of the Heretaunga Plains in a lush, historic garden setting.

Under the Willows with Fresh Brioche and Flat Whites

The sensory pull of the market begins before you even step clear of the tree line. The aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans and sizzling gourmet breakfast rolls drifts through the canopy of mature weeping willows and English oaks bordering the Waikoko Gardens lake. Local buskers set up beneath the branches, providing a gentle acoustic soundtrack of folk and blues that drifts across the central lawn.

Early arrivals have their pick of warm, flaky pastries, thick-crusted sourdough loaves, and still-warm brioche before wandering between tables stacked high with seasonal produce. Depending on the month, you will encounter crisp heritage apples, vine-ripened tomatoes, sweet stone fruit, or earthy winter greens. Dotted between the orchard crates are dedicated cheesemakers offering pungent washed-rind rounds and creamy sheep's milk feta, alongside local apiarists with raw native honeys and small-batch preserve makers ladling out tart berry jams. While early risers hunt down the freshest vegetable harvests and specialty meats for their week ahead, later visitors spread out picnic blankets on the lawns to savour wood-fired treats and breakfast plates in the dappled sunshine.

The Growers and Makers of Heretaunga

What truly cements the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Market as the beating heart of local food culture is the direct connection between maker and shopper. You are rarely served by third-party retail staff; instead, you are chatting face-to-face with the orchardist who harvested the pears at dawn, the baker who scored the baguettes before midnight, or the artisan butcher curing heritage smallgoods. A vibrant mix of local families filling woven cane baskets, culinary visitors comparing notes on olive oils, and neighbourhood regulars catching up over espresso lends the morning a warm, unhurried, community feel that defines weekend life in the bay.

Know Before You Go

• Plan to arrive before 9:30am if you want first pick of delicate seasonal produce, specialty berries, and hot pastries before popular vendors sell out.
• Bring your own reusable tote bags and cooler bags, especially during warm summer mornings when transporting soft cheeses, fresh meats, and dips.
• Entry is completely free, with plenty of on-site vehicle parking accessed directly from Kenilworth Road.
• Most stallholders accept EFTPOS and contactless payment, but carrying a small reserve of cash ensures seamless transactions at smaller grower stands.
• Note the venue location carefully: this Sunday fixture takes place at the Waikoko Gardens at Tōmoana Showgrounds in Hastings; do not confuse it with the Saturday morning urban market held across town in Napier's Clive Square.
• Check the official stallholder lineup and seasonal updates via the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Market website.

Make a Weekend of It

After wrapping up your morning stroll through the market, the wider Hastings and Havelock North areas offer plenty of ways to keep your culinary and cultural itinerary going strong. Just a few minutes down the road in central Hastings, you can grab a casual craft pint and house-made burgers at Brave Brewing Co, or head around the corner to indulge in smoky, slow-cooked Texas-style brisket at Black Betty BBQ.

For an afternoon of culture in the town centre, take a walk past the landmark municipal buildings and catch an exhibition or matinee at Toitoi – Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre. If you prefer to stay outdoors and soak in the region's famous sunshine, head toward the village of Havelock North to wander through the heritage paths and tranquil creative precinct of Keirunga Gardens. When you are ready to settle in for a luxurious lunch paired with views of Te Mata Peak, book a table at Craggy Range Restaurant, where award-winning estate vintages meet seasonal local dining.

Enjoy the sunshine, pick up a jar of something sweet, and immerse yourself in Hawke's Bay's incredible pantry. — Alyssa, What's On Hawke's Bay