The Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market returns to Victory Park this Saturday, December 27, offering residents fresh seasonal produce before the Rose Parade festivities transform the area. The market will showcase approximately 60 certified vendors selling everything from citrus to locally raised meats.
Victory Park sits in the heart of Pasadena’s Rose Parade zone, making this weekend one of the last normal operating days before parade preparations take over. The market closes only during Tournament of Roses week.
Gretchen Sterling, the market’s longtime manager, explains the operation’s philosophy. “We are seasonal but we’re here year round so different things come in different seasons,” she says. The farmers themselves become part of the shopping experience. “You come and you look and you see what’s here at the market and the farmers are here. They’ll tell you how to cook something.”
What sets this market apart is its uncompromising standard: certified vendors can sell only what they grow. “Our certified vendors only sell what they grow—or to say it another way, they won’t sell you anything that they did not grow,” the market states. Underwood Family Farms, with roots reaching back to 1867, brings heritage produce. Bill Lewis of Bill’s Bees operates hives in the Angeles National Forest and sells raw honey and beeswax candles.
For families stretching budgets, the market accepts EBT and CalFresh benefits and participates in Market Match, a hunger relief program. The market’s commitment to accessibility earned it the Arthur Nobel Award in 1997.
Victory Park sits adjacent to Pasadena High School, with parking available in the school’s lot.
Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market will run on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Victory Park, 2900-2925 North Sierra Madre Boulevard, Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 449-0179 or visit https://www.pasadenafarmersmarket.org/VictoryPark.
