At booth 35 this weekend, an Altadena business called Altadena Maid Products will be selling something you can’t find at any big-box store: small-batch, hand-formed seed balls and bark made from California native wildflowers, crafted by hand in Altadena and designed to turn a bare patch of yard into a meadow.
That booth is one of more than 200 at the Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair, which returns to Old Pasadena’s Central Park this Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Organized by Jackalope Arts, the fair has held semi-annual markets at Central Park — 275 S. Raymond Ave. — since 2015. According to Jackalope Arts, more than 200 hand-selected artisans will fill the park with original fashion and jewelry design, paper goods, home decor and housewares, art, photography, and food. The organization’s Pasadena ties run beyond the event calendar: Gloria Baghdassarian, a member of the Jackalope team, was born and raised in Altadena.
The weekend’s activity lineup extends well beyond shopping. An Interactive Butterfly Garden, presented by Grace & Honor, lets visitors hand-feed hundreds of live butterflies; a butterfly release is scheduled at the close of the weekend. Los Angeles street poet Bryan Mahoney will write custom poems on vintage typewriters on the spot. Print Renegades will offer free live screen printing — visitors can bring their own item or customize merchandise purchased from fair vendors. The Southern California Handweavers Guild will have a booth where visitors can sit at looms and try weaving.
For families, Jackalope Gives — the organization’s nonprofit arm — hosts free Flower Picture Frame Building and Friendship Bracelet Making at the info booth. Sparklez Slimez will provide slime customization. Face Painting by Linda will be on site. A paid Floral Mosaic Workshop, offered by Piece by Piece at $15 per session and lasting approximately 30 minutes, is available for those who want a more involved project.
Live music runs all day on both days. Paul Falcon opens from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by Ricky England from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ricky and Song presents a children’s interactive musical experience from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Rusty Perez closes out each afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m.
Among the food vendors is the Kogi BBQ truck, stationed at the Fair Oaks side of the park. Other food options include Bao Bao Express, Boba Bestie, La Pinsa Mia, Thai Mex Cocina, and Mariscos Arenita, among others. Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery, a Pasadena restaurant, will also have a booth.
According to Jackalope Arts’ website, the organization’s mission is “to cultivate a vibrant shopping experience featuring the highest quality, locally handcrafted goods” and to connect “the community directly with the makers behind the craft.” Co-founders Melissa Kohout and Sara Diederich launched the fair in Pasadena and Denver in 2015 with a shared goal of building what they describe as “a community meets artisan event.” The organization has since expanded to seven markets across the country; Pasadena remains one of its two founding cities.
Parking is available at the Fishbecks outdoor lot, 150 S. Raymond Ave. (cash only), in the garage on Raymond Avenue, or at the “Schoolhouse” structure on E. Green Street. Metered street parking surrounds the park. Riders on the Metro A Line (Gold Line) can take the train to Del Mar Station and walk two minutes to the park along S. Raymond Avenue.
For more information, visit jackalopeartfair.com/old-pasadena or call (323) 989-2278. The next Jackalope Pasadena fair is scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2026.
