PASADENA-VICTORY PARK (SATURDAY)

The Hunger Action LA Market Match program is part of the Saturday routine at Pasadena-Victory Park, adding extra buying power for shoppers using SNAP while they browse one of Pasadena's established open-air markets. This market sets up at Victory Park, at the intersection of Sierra Madre Boulevard and Paloma Street in front of Pasadena High School, with as many as 60 vendors on Saturdays. The market also points to a long run in the city, celebrating service since 1980 and marking its 40th anniversary during National Farmers Market Week in 2020.

Why it matters locally

Victory Park's Saturday market is sponsored by the City of Pasadena Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department, tying it directly to a city-backed public service rather than a private pop-up. The market also operates under the rules and regulations of the California Department of Food and Agriculture and is an active member of the California Federation of Certified Farmers' Markets.

That certified focus matters here because the market emphasizes buying directly from the farmer who grows the food, with certified vendors selling what they grow and a mix centered on fresh local fruits, vegetables, and farm products rather than craft stalls. In Pasadena, that gives Saturday shoppers a regular place to buy produce and other farm goods within a framework shaped by city sponsorship, state regulation, and certified-market standards.

What you'll find there

Victory Park is oriented around certified growers and farm products, with the market highlighting fresh local fruits, vegetables, and direct-from-the-farmer shopping. The vendor roster also shows a strong agricultural mix: orchards, ranches, olive growers, honey sellers, dates, and plants, alongside the market's broader mention of jams, jellies, fish, and more.

• -Find aloe and plant-focused offerings from Aloe Vera Urban.
• -Shop produce grown by Armenta Farm.
• -Pick up farm goods from Bernard Ranch.
• -Browse fruits and vegetables from Bih Shan.
• -Taste honey from Bill's Bees.
• -Look for seasonal produce from Bonita Farms.
• -Bring home olive products from Canto Sol Olive Farm.
• -Choose orchard fruit from Cuyama Orchards.
• -Stock up on dates from Dates by Davall.
• -Compare honey offerings at Energy Bee Farm.
• -Check the stand at Galpin Farms for farm-grown produce.
• -Finish with apples and orchard goods from Ha's Apple Farm.

The market's own materials also describe a wider selection beyond raw produce, including ranch-raised meats, fresh baked goods, prepared farm-fresh food, and floral and plant vendors across its vendor mix.

National Farmers Market Week was tied to the market's 40th anniversary in August 2020, when the City of Pasadena designated August 2-8 to coincide with that milestone.

Know before you go

Use the new monitored entrance at the northwest corner of the parking lot when you arrive. The market location is at 2901 N. Sierra Madre Boulevard, at Sierra Madre Boulevard and Paloma Street in front of Pasadena High School, and directions reference the San Gabriel off-ramp from the 210 Freeway.

Two other planning details are straightforward: dogs are not allowed, reflecting a State Health Department rule on animals at the market, and restrooms are not available. One visitor noted that parking can be a challenge, though spaces tend to turn over. The market has also described itself as open rain or shine as part of its long-running service message.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at the market, and the market participates in the Hunger Action LA Market Match program. That combination can matter on a produce-heavy shopping trip, especially at a Saturday market built around certified growers and farm products.