The main farmers market in Grand Cayman is the Cayman Farmers' Market at the Cricket Grounds on Huldah Avenue in George Town, which says it opens Monday to Saturday, 7:30am to 6pm, with Saturday the busiest and fullest day. Camana Bay's Farmers & Artisans Market runs on Wednesdays on the Paseo, but it appears to run in seasons and its hours have changed over the years. Prime mango season in Cayman generally runs from 1 June to 31 July.
This guide covers where to buy local produce, what grows here and when, what is known about eating lionfish, why imported groceries cost so much, and practical ways to eat well on a budget in the heat.
Where are the farmers' markets in Grand Cayman?
Grand Cayman has one market that trades six days a week, plus a handful of weekly or seasonal markets. Schedules for the smaller markets come mostly from older, undated pages, so treat the table below as a starting point and check current hours with the market before you go.
Cayman Farmers' Market at the Cricket Grounds, George Town
The Cayman Farmers' Market sits on Huldah Avenue at the Cricket Grounds, between Midtown Plaza (where Butterfield Bank is) and the west end of Owen Roberts International Airport. It is open-air, and its website gives hours of Monday to Saturday, 7:30am to 6pm. If you want the widest choice, go on a Saturday.
The market is run by the Farmers Artisan Market (FARM). According to the Department of Agriculture, FARM is a non-profit organisation that receives no funding from the Cayman Islands Government and has no link to it. Vendors pay small daily fees to sell their local produce. The chairman is Troy McCoy.
An older guide listed different weekday and Saturday hours, so if you are planning around a tight schedule, confirm with the market first.
Green Market at Plantation Organic
Camana Bay's guide to farmers markets in Grand Cayman lists a Green Market at Plantation Organic, 35 Doubloon Drive (off Shamrock Drive), on Sundays, selling seasonal fruit and vegetables. That guide looks to be several years old, so check before making the trip.
What day is the Camana Bay farmers market, and what time does it open?
The Camana Bay Farmers & Artisans Market takes place on Wednesdays on the Paseo in the Town Centre. Every source agrees on the day and the location. The opening times are less certain:
- Camana Bay's general market guide (around 2021) lists 12 to 7pm.
- A harvest-season relaunch story gives 10am to 7pm, with up to 40 local vendors.
- A later November relaunch post gives 10am to 5pm, with more than 20 artisans and produce vendors.
Together these suggest the market runs in seasons, often relaunching in the autumn for peak harvest. None of these pages was confirmed as current for 2026, so check Camana Bay's website or social channels for this season's dates and hours before you go. When it is running, expect Cayman-made goods alongside locally grown produce. Crops mentioned at the market have included mangoes, breadfruit, callaloo and ackee.
Is the Market at the Grounds in Lower Valley still running?
The name "Market at the Grounds" causes some confusion. It traditionally means the Saturday market at the Agricultural Grounds in Lower Valley, but some people use it for the Cricket Grounds market in George Town. In this guide, it means Lower Valley.
An older Camana Bay guide listed a Saturday market at the Agricultural Pavilion in Lower Valley, 6am to 12pm, selling local produce, flowers, honey, eggs, juices, jams and jellies. More recently, the Cayman Islands Agricultural Society invited members and registered farmers to run stalls at a Farmer's Market at the Grounds on the weekend of 8 and 9 June 2024. We could not confirm a regular weekly market there in 2026. Call the Agricultural Society on 926-3696 to ask about upcoming dates.
The Grounds also host the yearly Cayman Islands Agriculture Show. The 57th show, held on Ash Wednesday 2026, had up to 140 vendor stalls and was where the government launched its Grown in Cayman campaign.
What fruit and vegetables grow in the Cayman Islands?
More grows here than many newcomers expect. The government's Grown in Cayman: What Cayman Grows campaign, tied to the Cayman Islands Food and Nutrition Security Policy 2022 to 2036, highlights foods the islands already produce: eggs, poultry, goat meat, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, mangoes and avocados.
Local growers produce much more besides. Here is a snapshot from reported Cayman farms and markets:
There is still room to grow. Local farmers supply about 21% of the tomatoes Cayman eats, according to Cayman Compass reporting on local fruit and vegetables. For more on the push to grow more at home, read our story on why local food production is a smart investment for Cayman living.
We could not find an official seasonal produce calendar from the Department of Agriculture, so the simplest approach is to ask vendors what has just come in.
When is mango season in Cayman?
Prime mango season in the Cayman Islands generally runs from 1 June to 31 July, according to Cayman Compass. The number of mango varieties grown here has risen sharply over the past 50 years, so you will find plenty of choice at markets and roadside stalls in early summer.
Harvests vary from year to year. In 2026 one farmer said the weather had been poor for mangoes, but lower production meant farmers could sell everything they grew.
When is Mango Fest?
Mango Fest is run by the Cayman Islands National Museum in George Town each mango season. The 2026 edition, the ninth, took place on Saturday 4 July 2026 from 5 to 8pm with free admission, plus a ticketed pre-launch dinner the night before. It drew almost 1,000 visitors and a record 47 businesses. Dates change every year, so watch the museum's website for the 2027 announcement.
Is lionfish safe to eat in Cayman?
Lionfish is an invasive species, and eating it is widely encouraged. Here is what the available evidence says, much of it from older research.
The venom
Lionfish venom is in the spines. Oceana explains that it is only dangerous if injected, so it does not spoil the meat, and cooking deactivates it.
Ciguatera
Ciguatera is a type of fish poisoning. The US FDA lists lionfish among fish linked to ciguatera, along with grouper, snapper and barracuda. However, researchers in 2014 said there were no known cases of ciguatera from eating lionfish, and suggested some positive lab tests may have been caused by venom proteins that mimic the toxin. A 2012 Cayman report also noted no reports of people getting ciguatera from lionfish here.
One key point: unlike the venom, ciguatoxin is heat resistant, so cooking does not make a ciguatoxic fish safe. For context, Caribbean Epidemiology Centre figures showed Cayman had about 4% of the 9,301 ciguatera cases reported in the region from 1980 to 2005.
If you feel unwell after eating any fish, see a doctor. In an emergency, call 911.
Catching your own
Because the spines are venomous, do not try to catch lionfish without Department of Environment training and a licence. The DoE issues these to divers, snorkellers and fishers who remove lionfish. Check the current requirements directly with the DoE.
Why is food so expensive in the Cayman Islands?
Most of what you buy has travelled a long way. The government says Cayman imports more than 80% of the food it eats and spent about CI$286 million on imported food in 2024. Cayman Compass and a Department of Agriculture official have put the figure at around or over 90%, with 82% of imports coming from the United States.
Costs stack up along the way:
- Import duty: Cayman Compass reports 17% duty on imported fruit and vegetables, and 17% to 22% on most groceries.
- Shipping and refrigeration: both add to the shelf price, especially for fresh produce.
- Oil prices: rising global oil prices can push imported food prices up further.
Fruit and vegetables are the country's largest food import category, worth about $68.7 million in 2024, up 10.5% on 2023.
There is movement on this. In February 2026 the government said it was reviewing the duty code with the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce to cut the cost of essential foods. On 16 September 2026 the Chamber and the Department of Agriculture met major supermarkets and food importers to look at strengthening food security and removing barriers to selling local food. Our news piece on how Leadership Cayman is tackling food security explains what this means day to day.
For a full breakdown of supermarket bills, see our guide to Cayman Islands grocery costs in 2026. If you are planning a move, our cost of moving to Cayman calculator helps you budget for food alongside rent and other essentials.
How can I eat healthy on a budget in Cayman?
Eating well here is mostly about planning and buying smart. Some practical ideas:
- Shop local first. Locally grown produce skips the import duty, shipping and refrigeration that add to the price of imported fruit and vegetables. Compare prices at the market with the supermarket.
- Buy in season. Stock up on mangoes in June and July, and ask vendors what is at its peak each week.
- Go early on Saturday. The Cricket Grounds market is fullest on Saturday, so you get the widest choice.
- Build meals around Grown in Cayman staples. Eggs, poultry, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and avocados are all produced here.
- Try local greens. Callaloo, bok choy and mustard greens are grown on island and give you variety beyond imported lettuce.
- Grow something yourself. The Department of Agriculture at 181 Lottery Road, Lower Valley, answers home garden questions. Call +(345) 947-3090, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.
- Know where help exists. The Cayman Community Farm, set up in 2021, gives free fruit and vegetables to elderly and low-income residents on all three islands, distributed through groups including Meals on Wheels and the NCVO Community Pantry.
Meal prep ideas suited to the heat
When it is hot, many people prefer meals that need little time at the stove:
- Big salads with local lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers, topped with sliced avocado or boiled local eggs.
- Quick stir-fries of bok choy, callaloo or Japanese eggplant, cooked in one batch and portioned for the week.
- Mango with breakfast or as a snack during the season.
- A cool bag in the car on market day, so greens stay fresh on the drive home.
Reading labels on imported foods
With most food imported, labels are worth a closer look. Check where the item was grown or made, compare the price per unit rather than per pack, and look at the ingredient list to know what you are buying. If you are managing a health condition or a special diet, ask your doctor or pharmacist what to look for on labels. For personal nutrition advice, a doctor is the right starting point.
Keep reading: staying fit in Grand Cayman.
