Little Malop Street central is set for a massive transformation this Saturday with the inaugural Geelong City Market.
It is incredibly gratifying to see our vision for a hyper-local marketplace coming to fruition, marking the beginning of an exciting new weekly event for Greater Geelong.
This market will not only help revitalise the segment of Little Malop Street between Yarra and Moorabool streets but also provide an important platform to champion our local makers and creators.
Our region is home to burgeoning agriculture and production sectors, and the inaugural market is ready to celebrate this local talent.
This weekend’s event boasts a diverse range of stallholders, spanning everything from locally made olive oil and farm fresh mushrooms to freshly baked pastries and responsibly sourced seafood.
Local institution Alma Restaurant will bring its South American inspired cuisine to the masses, while sweet-tooths will indulge in buttery baked goods from the team at Two Tins Patisserie.
Ocean Grove favourite XO Project will bring it healthy flavour-packed bowls to the table, and Two Lands Coffee Cart will be sure to keep everybody caffeinated for a productive day of shopping.
We’re excited to showcase the seasonal produce from our rich, fertile soil and celebrate the hardworking producers that make our region thrive.
The City Market operators, Barwon Events, have done a tremendous job curating a wonderful mix of stallholders for this event’s launch.
The team has the perfect recipe for success, combining the culinary knowledge of Simon Toohey and event expertise of Kieran Blood.
Simon rose to fame as a contestant on Masterchef and now hosts his very own plant-based cooking program ‘Freshly Picked’ on Channel 10 and SBS.
Kieran has more than 15 years of event experience and has already had great success celebrating our local producers through the Geelong Beer Festival.
It’s clear everyone involved has a shared vision for this event – to provide a vibrant hub of artisanal produce, diverse takeaway food and a strong show of community spirit that draws our residents together.
Importantly, the Geelong City Market will play a crucial part on our broader strategy to revitalise central Geelong.
It will contribute to the beautification of Moorabool Street, utilise the existing open space at Little Malop Street, and attract both locals and visitors to the city centre.
Earlier this year, the City of Greater Geelong hosted a forum where councillors, elected state and federal representatives from both sides of politics, landowners,
investors and developers discussed critical issues affecting our city centre.
A recurring question emerged in our discussions: How can we address the persistent issue of vacant retail spaces in Little Malop central?
We agreed that a thriving, central market might just be the missing ingredient needed to reinvigorate this area.
Conducting a regular, high-calibre event will make significant strides in establishing Little Malop central as a cultural destination, attracting the tourism our city centre deserves.
This journey has already begun, as demonstrated by recent events. The inaugural ROAM Geelong recently drew over 16,000 people to Little Malop Street to celebrate the best in arts and culture.
Beyond filling the street, the City Market will connect consumers with local producers and inject essential revenue back into our local economy. It will also provide vital support to family farms and small businesses.
This market is more than just a place to buy fresh produce and food – it’s a statement about the prosperous industries in our region and the future vibrancy of central Geelong.
To view the full list of stallholders, visit geelongcitymarket.com.au
