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Where can you shop at farmers markets in Fort Lauderdale?

Three markets bring food and local vendors to the beach, the downtown Riverwalk and Imperial Point on different days of the week.

Fort Lauderdale farmers markets: beach, Riverwalk and Imperial Point

Fort Lauderdale’s farmers-market choices follow the city’s geography. One market faces the Atlantic at the east end of Las Olas Boulevard; another sits by the New River in the downtown cultural district; a third brings farmers and food vendors to the Imperial Point neighborhood on a weekday. The differences matter: a beach outing, a riverfront stroll and a Thursday lunch-hour stop do not share the same parking, transit or shopping rhythm.

At the coast, The MKT at Las Olas Oceanside Park is the most flexible option for weekend visitors because it opens both Saturday and Sunday throughout the year. The organizer lists seasonal hours of 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on Sundays. Its public description puts fresh produce and fruit beside prepared food, handmade goods and home or wardrobe items; live music and free community fitness classes make it part of the park’s weekend program. The venue is at 3000 E. Las Olas Boulevard, across A1A from the beach.

The city describes the park as the east end of Las Olas Boulevard, with the beach across the road and the Las Olas Beach Garage nearby. The Seabreeze Tram can connect the garage and the Oceanside Park, while Broward County Transit serves the beach area. The city’s beach parking page publishes visitor rates and restrictions, so check it before driving rather than assuming that beach parking is free. At a waterfront market, the setting is part of the visit, but the trip plan can decide whether a brief stop feels easy or complicated.

Downtown, New River Open Air Market occupies the Riverwalk by the New River Inn at 231 SW Second Avenue. The Greater Fort Lauderdale tourism bureau lists it every Sunday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., year-round, with free admission. Its vendor mix includes farm-fresh vegetables, bread and pastries, plants, organic foods, natural health and beauty products, prepared meals and drinks. That makes it a longer window than the beach market and an easy fit with the museums and historic buildings on the same stretch of Riverwalk.

Parking is a downtown garage question rather than a beach-lot question. The city lists Riverwalk Center Garage at 150 SE Second Street and other public facilities around the central business district; prices and restrictions vary by location. Use the city parking locator or the current garage list before setting out. Downtown streets and garages are also more practical to combine with a walk along the river than with a separate beach visit, so treat the market as one stop in the central district rather than trying to cover the entire city in one morning.

In the north of the city, Broward Health Imperial Point Farmers Market provides a weekday alternative at the hospital’s main entrance, 6401 N. Federal Highway. The organizer lists it year-round on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The neighborhood civic association describes a mix that includes local honey, juices, pastries, seafood, barbecue, pizza, prepared lunch foods and craft vendors. It is less a destination market for a full-day outing than a useful local stop for nearby residents, hospital visitors and people planning a Thursday errand.

The three schedules create a simple weekly pattern: the beach park offers a two-day weekend market; the Riverwalk adds a Sunday destination in the city center; Imperial Point opens Thursday in the north. None publishes one consolidated price list, and each has a different vendor roster. A shopper looking for vegetables should compare what is actually in season at the stall; someone seeking lunch or a prepared snack has more choices at the Riverwalk or Imperial Point, based on the published vendor descriptions.

Fort Lauderdale is spread between the ocean, downtown and neighborhoods along Federal Highway. Public transportation can help with the beach and downtown legs, but routes and service hours depend on the day. Broward County Transit’s planner and the city’s LauderGO information are the right places to check current connections. If driving, use the market’s exact address in the city parking locator and verify the day’s garage rate. The markets are in different districts, so a short map check is better than assuming one parking plan covers all three.

For a relaxed Saturday or Sunday, choose the MKT and allow time for the beach park; for Sunday in the historic center, pair the New River market with the Riverwalk; for an ordinary weekday, Imperial Point offers the most neighborhood-oriented stop. The market’s published information helps set expectations, but it cannot promise a specific farmer or product on a given date. Check event notices before leaving, especially when weather or seasonal scheduling could change the day.

Bottom line

Choose by neighborhood and day: weekend at the beach, Sunday downtown or Thursday in Imperial Point.

Verification

Sources & references

Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.

  1. Official website of The MKT at Las Olas Oceanside Park ↗ Primary source The LOOP / Las Olas Oceanside Park · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  2. Official website of The MKT at Las Olas Oceanside Park ↗ Primary source Las Olas Oceanside Park · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  3. Official website of New River Open Air Market ↗ Primary source City of Fort Lauderdale · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  4. Official website of Broward Health Imperial Point Farmers Market ↗ Primary source Community Farmers Markets of South Florida · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  5. Official website of Broward Health Imperial Point Farmers Market ↗ Primary source City of Fort Lauderdale · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  6. Official website ↗ Primary source The LOOP / Las Olas Oceanside Park · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  7. Official website ↗ Primary source Community Farmers Markets of South Florida · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  8. Official website ↗ Primary source City of Fort Lauderdale · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  9. Official website ↗ Primary source City of Fort Lauderdale · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  10. New River Open Air Market ↗ Secondary source Visit Lauderdale / Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Tourism bureau listing provides Sunday hours, address, vendor mix and parking context.

  11. Fort Lauderdale farmers markets ↗ Secondary source Fort Lauderdale Journal · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Local reporting updated October 8, 2026, confirms the current Sunday market listing and downtown parking details.

  12. Farmers Market — Broward Health Imperial Point ↗ Secondary source Imperial Point Civic Association · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Neighborhood civic association lists weekly hours, vendors and food/craft offerings.

  13. New River Open Air Market ↗ Secondary source Visit Lauderdale / Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Local tourism bureau listing for the Sunday market.

  14. Fort Lauderdale farmers markets ↗ Secondary source Fort Lauderdale Journal · Accessed October 30, 2026

    Local reporting updated October 8, 2026; cross-checks operating listings and city geography.