McLean and Great Falls residents have two weekly farmers markets running through fall, each on a different day and with a different operator.

The McLean Farmers Market runs every Friday from 8 a.m. to noon at Lewinsville Park, 1659 Chain Bridge Road. The season ends Oct. 30. Market coordinator Caroline Hockenberry oversees the McLean market for the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA), according to the county's website.

The Great Falls Farmers Market, at 756 Walker Road in the Village Centre, stays open year-round on Saturdays. The market's Facebook page listed hours of 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as of Sept. 1. Patch reported the same hours on Wednesday, Sept. 16, citing the market's website. The market can cancel individual dates because of weather or other circumstances, Patch noted, so shoppers should check with organizers before making a trip.

The two markets differ in structure. McLean's is one of 10 FCPA-run markets across Fairfax County. It is strictly producer-only, meaning every vendor must grow, raise or make from scratch everything sold, according to the FCPA vendor handbook. All items must be produced within 125 miles of Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria.

The Great Falls market is one of the few in Fairfax County that is not county-sponsored. It operates independently and follows a similar producer-only model, according to its website. A post on the McEnearney Associates real estate blog traces the market's roots to 2007, when Great Falls resident Robb Watters launched it at St. Francis Episcopal Church on Georgetown Pike. Mike Kearney, owner of the Old Brogue Irish Pub on Walker Road, later ran the market for three years before it settled at its current location.

FCPA markets, including McLean's, have been plastic-free since 2025.

Vendors use reusable or compostable alternatives, and all 10 county markets offer food scrap drop-off on market days, according to the Park Authority's season announcement. Shoppers can reach the McLean market at [email protected] or 571-340-3322. Great Falls market information is available at greatfallsfarmersmarket.org.

Fall market schedule:

  • McLean Farmers Market: Fridays, 8 a.m.–noon, through Oct. 30. Lewinsville Park, 1659 Chain Bridge Road.
  • Great Falls Farmers Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m., year-round. 756 Walker Road, Great Falls.