Market Day season is here

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18 June 2026
Children and young people across England are taking their school-grown produce and homemade products to market this summer – and you're invited.

In June and July, hundreds of children and young people from schools across England will step out of the classroom and behind market stalls as they take part in Market Days in towns and cities from Plymouth to Newcastle. 

These events are the culmination of months of hands-on food education through School Food Matters’ Young Marketeers, Know Your Onions and Schools to Market programmes. Along the way, participants have grown fruit and vegetables from seed, learned about food production and sustainability, developed cooking skills and discovered more about where food comes from. Market Day is their chance to put that learning into practice, whilst building their teamwork and enterprise experience. 

Visitors can meet the young growers and food makers, buy fresh produce and school-made products, and celebrate the achievements of children and young people who have worked hard to bring their harvests and creations to market. 

Food education is a vital life skill. Giving children and young people opportunities to grow, cook and sell food helps build confidence, practical skills and a positive relationship with food that can last a lifetime. Market Days showcase the value of this hands-on learning while connecting schools with their local communities. 

While each programme is slightly different, they all share a common goal: helping children and young people develop the knowledge, confidence and appreciation of nutritious, sustainable food needed to make informed choices throughout their lives. 

School Food Matters photo of children holding produce at Market Day

Where to find a Market Day near you 

  • Leicester Market, 25 June, 10am–12pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Stroud Shambles Market, 26 June, 9am–11am (Young Marketeers) 

  • Bedford Charter Market, 1 July, 12pm–2pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Borough Market, London, 2 July, 11am–1.30pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Barking Market, 3 July, 12pm–2pm (Know Your Onions and Young Marketeers) 

  • Plymouth Market, 3 July, 12pm–2pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Kirkby Market, Knowsley, 3 July, 12pm–2pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Liverpool ONE, 7 July, 11.30am–1.30pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Barnsley Market, 7 July, 12pm–2pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Whole Foods Market Camden, Clapham, High Street Kensington, King's Road, Piccadilly and Stoke Newington stores, 8 July, 11am–1pm (Schools to Market) 

  • Coventry – Broadgate Square, 8 July, 12pm–2pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Camden – Inverness Street Market, 9 July, 12pm–2pm (Know Your Onions) 

  • Hackney – Ridley Road Market, 9 July, 12pm–2pm (Know Your Onions) 

  • Islington – Chapel Market, 9 July, 12pm–2pm (Know Your Onions) 

  • Tower Hamlets – Whitechapel Market, 9 July, 12pm–2pm (Know Your Onions) 

  • Bradford – Darley Street Market Courtyard, 9 July, 11am–1pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Birmingham – Bullring Market, 9 July, 11am–1pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Leeds – Kirkgate Market, 10 July, 11am–1pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Manchester – Market Street, 10 July, 11am–1pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Newcastle – Grainger Market, 10 July, 12pm–2pm (Young Marketeers) 

  • Sheffield – Moor Market, 15 July, 10.30am–12.30pm (Young Marketeers) 

Whether you're looking to pick up some freshly harvested vegetables, support local schools or simply see food education in action, we'd love to see you at a Market Day this summer. 

Find out more about Young Marketeers, Know Your Onions and Schools to Market, and come along to your local event to support the next generation of growers, cooks and entrepreneurs.