Cachivaches Latin Market Brings Latin Food, Music and Culture to Queen Victoria Market

Latin culture takes over Queen Victoria Market

Cachivaches Latin Market will fill the C and D Sheds at the Peel Street end of Queen Victoria Market from 9am to 4pm on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August.

Now heading into its eighth edition, Cachivaches has developed from a community market into a sizeable showcase for Latin American culture and independent businesses in Melbourne. Its focus remains firmly on bringing people together through food, creativity, music and entrepreneurship.

The market was founded by a Colombian entrepreneurial couple living in Australia, with the aim of creating a platform where culturally driven businesses could gain visibility while building connections across Melbourne's multicultural community.

Over seven previous editions, Cachivaches has brought together hundreds of brands and thousands of visitors, with its organisers positioning the event as both a cultural gathering and a practical platform for small businesses.

More than 50 Latin-owned businesses

This edition will feature more than 50 Latin-owned businesses, giving visitors a chance to browse products and meet entrepreneurs whose work draws on their cultural roots.

Food will be a major part of the weekend. The program spans Colombian, Brazilian, Mexican, Argentinian and Venezuelan flavours alongside other regional specialities, with traders serving traditional street food, barbecue, pastries, desserts, speciality coffee and tropical drinks.

Handcrafted goods and other independent brands add to the mix, extending the market beyond food into art, design and creative enterprise.

That combination has been central to Cachivaches since its beginnings. The first edition attracted more than 800 people across two days, according to the organisers, and demand from participating businesses helped drive subsequent editions. The event later expanded to Queen Victoria Market, where previous instalments have drawn substantially larger crowds.

Music, art and community

Cachivaches is designed as a cultural event rather than a conventional shopping market. Music, art and live entertainment form part of the experience, creating a setting where visitors can encounter different Latin American traditions while discovering locally based businesses.

The family-friendly format also makes the weekend accessible to people who may be encountering these cultures for the first time. For Melbourne's Latin American communities, meanwhile, it provides a public space to share food, traditions, creativity and contemporary entrepreneurship.

Cachivaches Latin Market runs from 9am to 4pm on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August at the C-D Sheds, Peel Street end of Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne. Entry is free and bookings are not required. The City of Melbourne event listing advises that accessible toilets, mobility access and service-animal access are available.