Every second Sunday, the parking lots around Rose Bowl Stadium disappear beneath a small city of canopies, folding tables, and hand-lettered signs — more than 2,500 vendors spreading antiques, vintage clothing, and artisan goods across the grounds of Pasadena’s most iconic venue. The next edition arrives June 14.
The market is one of twelve monthly installments of a tradition that R.G. Canning Enterprises has operated at the Rose Bowl since November 1968, when co-founders R.G. Canning and Bill Tunnell set up the first event with roughly 200 vendors. Nearly 58 years later, the organizer says the market draws approximately 20,000 buyers each month, including celebrities and interior designers, according to Visit Pasadena. For first-timers, one logistical detail matters above all: every ticket must be purchased online in advance through Eventbrite or at rgcshows.com. There are no onsite sales, and shoppers need a QR code to enter at Gate A.
The Rose Bowl Flea Market — called the “Flea Market of the Stars” by its operator — occupies the grounds of Rose Bowl Stadium at 1001 Rose Bowl Drive. The Travel Channel has listed it among the ten best flea markets in the world, according to multiple published reports citing the distinction. R.G. Canning Enterprises describes it as the largest flea market in California.
General admission is $15 per person, or $15.83 with Eventbrite processing fees, and opens at 9 a.m. Early bird tickets are $22 per person, or $23.21 with fees, and allow entry starting at 5 a.m., though the organizer notes that lighting is limited and vehicles are still moving in during the predawn hours. VIP access runs until 8:45 a.m. Visit Pasadena advises that vendors will not be completely unpacked and ready for business until 9 a.m., when general admission begins. Children under 12 enter free with a paying adult. No refunds or exchanges are offered; the event takes place rain or shine.
The grounds are organized into color-coded sections: blue for new merchandise, orange for antiques, and white for vintage and general goods. Concession stands scattered across the site sell tacos, burritos, pizza, sushi, rice bowls, coffee, beer, wine, and cocktails, with prices ranging from $5.50 to $9, according to the organizer’s website. Some vendors accept only cash, but ATMs are available near the main entrance, according to Visit Pasadena.
“There were about 200 vendors when the flea market first started in 1968,” Dennis R. Dodson, chief operating officer of R.G. Canning Enterprises, has said. “Now 2,500 represents a sold-out event, and we consistently meet that number.”
The City of Pasadena originally partnered with Canning and Tunnell because it was looking for a way to generate year-round income from the Rose Bowl and its surrounding parking lots. That first market, held November 10, 1968, drew approximately 12,000 visitors. Tunnell said at the time that the stadium was “an ideal spot for a flea market because of the large parking lot and the enclosed area for the booths.”
Free general parking is available on-site, with preferred parking closer to the entrance for $20. Ride-share drop-off and pick-up is at Gate C. The event runs rain or shine. No pets are allowed, with the exception of service animals. Handicap parking and restrooms are available, though wheelchair and stroller rentals are not.
The box office closes at 3 p.m. Shopping continues until 4:30 p.m., though vendors may begin packing up after 3. The following month’s market falls on Sunday, July 12. For questions, call R.G. Canning Enterprises at (323) 560-7469, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nearly six decades in, the formula has not changed much a stadium, a Sunday, and 2,500 people with something to sell to 20,000 who came to look. The parking lot fills before the sun is fully up.
Rose Bowl Flea Market (June 14) Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026 (VIP entry 5:00 AM; General admission 9:00 AM–3:00 PM; shopping until 4:30 PM) Venue: Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Dr., Pasadena, CA 91103 Cost: General admission $12–$15/person; VIP $20–$22/person; children under 12 free Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rose-bowl-flea-market-sunday-june-14-2026-tickets-1977730643594
