The farmers markets in Irvine are easy to compare because each one runs on a different day. The city has three weekly certified markets: one on Wednesday, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Picking one comes down to your schedule more than anything else. Below is a day-by-day comparison of hours, addresses and operators, followed by markets in nearby Orange County cities for the days Irvine doesn't cover.
Certified farmers markets in Orange County are listed by the OC Agricultural Commissioner's certified farmers market list. The county says its list is subject to change without notice, so check the operator's page before you go. Each section below links to it.
What farmers markets are in Irvine?
Irvine has three weekly certified farmers markets: Mariners Church on Saturday mornings, Stonegate Elementary on Sundays and Kaiser Permanente Irvine on Wednesdays. Here they are side by side.
| Market | Day | Hours | Address | Operator | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irvine Certified Farmers' Market at Mariners Church | Saturday | 8 a.m. to noon | 5001 Newport Coast Dr., Irvine 92603 | Orange County Farm Bureau | Early weekend errands |
| Stonegate Elementary Certified Farmers Market (formerly at the OC Great Park) | Sunday | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | 100 Honors, Irvine 92620 | Mary Ann Senske, Orange County Certified Farmers Markets (myoccfm.com) | A later, slower Sunday |
| Kaiser Permanente Irvine | Wednesday | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (per operator) | 6670 Alton Pkwy., Irvine 92618 | Southland Farmers' Market Association | A midweek or lunch-break stop |
When is the Irvine farmers market on Saturday?
The Irvine Certified Farmers' Market at Mariners Church runs Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at 5001 Newport Coast Dr. Those hours appear on the county's certified market list, which names Trish Harrison of the Orange County Farm Bureau as the contact.
The market has been at Mariners Church for more than a decade. An Orange County Farm Bureau release, republished by University Hills, announced that the Irvine market would leave University Center near UCI and move to Mariners Church's Irvine campus starting Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014. According to the release, the market would set up in the lot nearest Bonita Canyon and Turtle Ridge roads, and "The market hours will remain from 8 a.m. to noon."
UCI's student newspaper, New University, reported in July 2024 that the market runs Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and called it "a year-round, free-entry event." The paper also described it as "one of eight California-certified farmers' markets under the Orange County Farm Bureau." The Farm Bureau's own Shop at Farmers' Markets page now invites visitors to "Learn more about our 11 Orange County Farmers' Markets!" The two figures come from different sources and different dates.
Planning suggestion: With a noon close, this is the market for people who like to finish their shopping before the rest of Saturday gets going.
Where did the Great Park farmers market move?
The Sunday market that used to be at the OC Great Park moved to Stonegate Elementary, 100 Honors, on Nov. 10, 2024. It runs Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you remember it from the Great Park, it's no longer there; go to the school site.
The City of Irvine's market page says that as of Nov. 10, 2024 the market "relocated to Stonegate Elementary" from the Great Park, and it lists Sunday hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The operator's site, Orange County Certified Farmers Markets (myoccfm.com), lists it as "Stonegate Elementary (formerly @OC Great Park)" with the same Sunday hours. Mary Ann Senske runs the market and can be reached at info@myoccfm.com.
Planning suggestion: Stonegate opens at 10 a.m. and stays open until 2 p.m., the latest close of Irvine's three markets. That makes it a good pick for late risers or anyone who wants to fit the market around a Sunday brunch or a morning outing.
Is there a weekday farmers market in Irvine?
Yes. The Kaiser Permanente Irvine market runs every Wednesday at 6670 Alton Pkwy. Its operator lists hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Southland Farmers' Market Association's market page lists it "Every Wednesday" from "9am to 2pm" at 6670 Alton Parkway. That page labels the address Anaheim, but ZIP code 92618 is Irvine. SFMA's home page lists the market as "Wednesdays 9-2" and says it is frequently at maximum vendor capacity. The county list gives a shorter window, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and places it near Alton Parkway and Sand Canyon Avenue. If you want to be safe, aim for the middle of the day, when both sources agree it's open.
Planning suggestion: This is the most practical choice for remote workers, people with flexible weekdays, or anyone working near Alton Parkway and Sand Canyon who can stop by at lunch.
Farmers markets near Irvine for the rest of the week
Irvine's markets cover Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Several markets in neighboring cities fill in other days or give you a second option on the same day. These are in other cities, not Irvine, so plan for a short drive.
Wednesday evening: Lake Forest
The operator behind Stonegate, myoccfm.com, also runs a Lake Forest market on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. at Lake Forest Sports Park, 28000 Rancho Pkwy. Of the nearby markets in these notes, it's the only one that runs on a weekday evening, so it works well after a regular workday.
Thursday: OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa
The OC Fair & Event Center's farmers market page lists the market on "Thursdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m." in Lot D, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, with "Free admission & parking." The venue lists produce, fresh flowers, fish, hummus, honey and hot sauce among the products, and says some vendors sell hot lunch items such as tamales and tacos or burritos. The county list names the Orange County Farm Bureau's Trish Harrison as its contact.
Friday: Laguna Hills
The county list includes the Laguna Hills Certified Farmers Market on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 24200 Laguna Hills Mall.
Tustin: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday
The county list includes three Tustin markets:
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Tustin Certified Farmers Market: Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 474 El Camino Real.
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Downtown Tustin Saturday Farmers Market: Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon, 474 El Camino Real.
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Tustin District Certified Farmers Market: Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2243 Park Ave. (Barranca Parkway and Tustin Ranch Road), at The District at Tustin Legacy.
Tustin's monthly Sunset market appears on the county list too, but it only runs on the third Thursday from May through September, so it's out of season now.
More weekend options
Here are other weekend markets close to Irvine, with hours from the county list and from myoccfm.com:
Which Irvine farmers market should I go to?
Choose by when you're free:
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Early bird on the weekend: Mariners Church, Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon.
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Late riser: Stonegate Elementary, Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Weekday daytime: Kaiser Permanente Irvine on Wednesday, or the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Thursday.
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After work: Lake Forest, Wednesday, 4 to 8 p.m.
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Friday: Laguna Hills, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Before you go
Market details can change from week to week, and the county itself says its list is subject to change without notice. The operators' pages are the best place to check: the Orange County Farm Bureau for Mariners Church, myoccfm.com for Stonegate, Lake Forest and Aliso Viejo, the Southland Farmers' Market Association for Kaiser Permanente Irvine, and the OC Fair & Event Center for the Thursday Costa Mesa market. Vendors rotate, so this guide doesn't name individual stalls.
Irvine Life is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with the City of Irvine, UC Irvine, the Irvine Company or any market operator. The featured image is an AI illustration, not a photograph of any specific market.