More than 2,500 vendors will spread across the Rose Bowl Stadium grounds Sunday morning with vintage furniture, antiques, jewelry, ceramics, and contemporary goods — arriving on Mother’s Day weekend and turning Pasadena’s longest-running monthly marketplace into a family outing with a built-in shopping excuse.
The May 10 edition of the Rose Bowl Flea Market is the regular second-Sunday occurrence of an event that has anchored Pasadena’s community calendar since November 1968. But the Mother’s Day timing positions the 57-year-old market as a destination for multi-generational groups — children under 12 enter free with a paying adult, and the grounds offer concession stands with tacos, churros, kettle corn, Korean barbecue, and gourmet coffee scattered among the vendor stalls.
General admission opens at 9 a.m., when vendors are fully unpacked and ready for business, according to Visit Pasadena. Early birds who purchase VIP tickets can enter at 5 a.m. and browse for nearly four hours before the general crowd arrives. The box office closes at 3 p.m., though shoppers already inside may continue browsing until 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online only through Eventbrite, according to the current listing from R.G. Canning Enterprises, which has produced the market since its founding. There are no onsite ticket sales. All shoppers check in at Gate A with a QR code.
The market draws approximately 20,000 buyers each month, according to R.G. Canning Enterprises, including collectors, interior designers, and roughly 1,500 tourists. The Travel Channel has ranked it among the 10 best flea markets in the world, according to the LA Almanac.
“There were about 200 vendors when the flea market first started in 1968,” Dennis R. Dodson, chief operating officer of R.G. Canning Enterprises, said in a previous interview. “Now 2,500 represents a sold-out event, and we consistently meet that number.”
Cash is recommended, as some vendors do not accept cards, but ATMs are available near the main entrance, according to Visit Pasadena. Free general parking is available on-site, with a 10- to 15-minute walk to the entrance. Premium parking closer to the gate costs $20. Ride-share drop-off and pickup is at Gate C. Riders on Metro’s A Line can exit at Memorial Park Station and walk 1.5 miles or take Pasadena Transit Route 51 or 52, according to Metro.
Handicap parking and accessible restrooms are available, though no wheelchair or stroller rentals are offered, according to R.G. Canning Enterprises. Pets are not permitted unless they are certified service animals. The event runs rain or shine with no refunds.
“Among the many faces we see each month are those who have been with us since the beginning — whether they be longtime vendors or customers — and it’s for them we celebrate,” Mike Redd, CEO of R.G. Canning Enterprises, said in a company statement.
The next Rose Bowl Flea Market after May falls on Sunday, June 8.
Rose Bowl Flea Market, Sunday, May 10, 2026. VIP admission 5 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., starting at $22 per person. General admission 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting at $12 per person. Children under 12 free with a paying adult. Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena. Free general parking available; premium parking $20. For more, call (323) 560-7469 or visit www.rgcshows.com/rose-bowl.
