On the first Saturday of every month from March through December, a quiet field on the edge of town turns into one of the largest outdoor markets in Texas — 475 vendors, 7,500 visitors, kettle corn and live music and antique signs and homemade soap and a thousand other things you didn't know you needed.
This is Wimberley Market Days. It has been running since 1965, making it one of the oldest continuously operating outdoor markets in the state. If your Hill Country vacation falls on a first-Saturday weekend, plan around it. Here's how to do it right.
The essentials
- When: First Saturday of every month, March through December
- Hours: 7am to 4pm (vendors start packing up around 3pm)
- Where: Lions Field, 601 FM 2325, Wimberley, TX 78676 — about a half-mile west of Wimberley Square
- Admission: Free
- Parking: $5 cash, on-site lots
What's actually there
Market Days has been described as "a real-life Pinterest board," which sounds reductive until you're walking it. Roughly 475 vendor booths spread across two large fields. The mix:
- Antiques and vintage — old signs, Western Americana, mid-century furniture, jewelry, vinyl
- Handmade goods — leather, pottery, textiles, woodwork, soap, candles
- Texas-made food — jams, salsas, hot sauces, pecans, honey, BBQ rubs, pickles
- Plants and herbs — particularly in spring; native Texas wildflower seeds are a favorite
- Art — paintings, photography, sculpture from local Hill Country artists
- Boots and Western wear — vintage and new, real and decorative
- Food trucks and concessions — kettle corn, fresh-squeezed lemonade, breakfast tacos in the morning, BBQ and burgers later
The same vendors don't necessarily come every month. Some are regulars; others rotate. Part of the charm is that what you see in April is not what you'll see in October.
Best time to arrive
Be there by 8:30am. Three reasons:
- You'll get parking close to the entrance instead of half a mile away
- It's cool in the morning — by 11am in summer it's punishing
- The good antiques sell first. Genuinely.
If you absolutely cannot do morning, the second-best window is 2–3pm. Crowds thin, vendors discount to avoid packing items back into their trucks, and the late-afternoon light over the field is beautiful.
What to bring
- Cash. Most vendors take cards now via Square or similar, but some still don't, and cash makes haggling easier.
- A tote or two. You'll buy something. Reusable totes are also being sold at half the booths if you forget.
- Sunscreen and a hat. Limited shade.
- A refillable water bottle.
- Sturdy shoes. It's a grass field, so flat-bottomed sandals are fine but heels are a no.
- A leashed dog if you want. Market Days is dog-friendly.
Tips from people who go often
Haggle, but kindly. Most vendors will come down 10–20% on items over $50. Antiques in particular have margin. Don't lowball on handmade items — those prices reflect actual hours of work.
Make a loop first, then go back. The temptation is to buy the first interesting thing you see in the first 10 minutes. Walk the whole market first. Mental-note the things you'd consider. Loop back for purchases.
Get the kettle corn last. It travels poorly and is best eaten the day it's made.
Eat breakfast at the Wimberley Cafe before Market Days, not at the market itself. Better food, smaller wait.
Best months to visit
April and May — wildflowers, perfect weather, full vendor turnout after winter
October — Texas's nicest month; fall produce and Halloween/harvest crafts
December — gift shopping; many vendors do special holiday inventory
July and August — full turnout but it gets dangerously hot by noon; go early or skip
How to combine Market Days with the rest of your weekend
A good first-Saturday plan from La Paz:
- 7:00am — coffee on the deck at the house
- 8:00am — drive to Wimberley Cafe for breakfast (10 min)
- 9:00am – 12:00pm — Market Days
- 12:30pm — lunch at Community Pizza or BBQ at The County Line
- Afternoon — nap, hot tub, slow afternoon at the house
- Sunset — dinner at The Leaning Pear or Tillie's at Camp Lucy
If you'd like a longer version, our 48-hour Hill Country itinerary builds a full weekend around a first-Saturday visit.
Where to stay for Market Days weekend
First-Saturday weekends are among the busiest of the year for Wimberley vacation rentals. Lodging on the Square fills up first and gets noisy. Properties slightly outside town — like La Paz, five minutes from the Square — give you the quiet morning and the easy drive in. Two nights minimum is the right length: arrive Friday afternoon, hit Market Days Saturday morning, leave Sunday afternoon after a slow brunch.
Book early. First-Saturday weekends in spring and fall are typically the first dates to sell out on the calendar.