The peaches arrive first, packed in flats before dawn. Then the figs, the watermelons, the ears of corn still wrapped in husk. By 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Victory Park, as many as 60 certified California growers will have their tables stacked along the 2900 block of North Sierra Madre Boulevard — the same stretch of asphalt in front of Pasadena High School where farmers have been selling what they grew, and only what they grew, since March 1984.
The Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market at Victory Park is one of the longest-running markets of its kind in the region, according to market manager Gretchen Sterling. Now in its 42nd year of continuous Saturday operation, it is run by the City of Pasadena Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, which took over sole management in 1995. Every grower is certified by the county agricultural commissioner and sells only what he or she raised, according to the market’s website.
August is the peak season. According to the market’s own ripening calendar, shoppers can expect stone fruits — peaches, nectarines, and plums — alongside figs, grapes, watermelons, cantaloupe, tomatoes, corn, eggplant, peppers, and cucumbers. The market also carries farm products, baked goods, prepared foods, and specialty items including ranch-raised meats, jams, jellies, fish, fresh-cut flowers, and potted plants, according to the market’s website. Craft vendors are not permitted.
“We keep four farmers for every one food artisan,” Sterling said. “We do no crafts. We are your food source… We’re there to keep that connection between you and the farmer that’s growing your food.”
The market started with 17 farmers at Villa Parke Center in 1980 before expanding to Victory Park four years later, according to the market’s website. Sterling has managed it since its inception. Growers travel from as far as Fresno, San Diego, the Coachella Valley, and San Luis Obispo, according to Sterling. The market operates rain or shine, year-round, except during the week of the Rose Parade.
“Farmers work long days, deal with changing weather conditions, and travel a long way to be at our markets weekly,” Sterling said in a City of Pasadena statement.
The market accepts EBT and participates in the Hunger Action LA Market Match program, which matches CalFresh spending on fresh produce up to $15 per visit, according to Hunger Action LA. Shoppers can check in at the information booth for details. Most vendors also accept electronic payment, and cash is always accepted, according to the market’s website.
“The Pasadena Farmers’ Market aligns with our mission to offer affordable resources, encourage healthy choices, and foster connections within the community,” said Koko Panossian, director of Pasadena Parks, Recreation and Community Services, in a City of Pasadena statement. Surplus revenue funds youth recreation programs at the city’s four community centers, according to the press release.
Need to Know: The Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market at Victory Park takes place Saturday, August 8, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Admission is free. The market is at the 2900 block of North Sierra Madre Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91107, at the intersection of Sierra Madre Boulevard and Paloma Street, in front of Pasadena High School. Parking is in the Victory Park lot; enter at the northwest corner. From the 210 Freeway, take the San Gabriel off-ramp, turn north on Sierra Madre Boulevard toward the mountains, and proceed half a mile. For more information, call (626) 449-0179 or visit https://www.pasadenafarmersmarket.org/.
“Different things have been dear to my heart,” Sterling said, “but nothing is as dear as operating the market and the good we do in the community, whether it’s just nutritional or the programs that we help sponsor.”
