The Santa Monica Farmers Markets are a network of four weekly certified farmers markets held throughout the city: the Wednesday and Saturday Downtown markets on Arizona Avenue, the Saturday market at Virginia Avenue Park, and the Sunday Main Street market. Together they bring California farmers directly into the city with seasonal produce, flowers, nuts, cheeses, meats and other foods. The Wednesday Downtown market is the best known, regularly drawing thousands of shoppers as well as many of Los Angeles’ leading chefs and restaurants, while the weekend markets have developed their own neighborhood character with organic growers, prepared foods, music and family activities.

The tradition began in July 1981, when then-Mayor Ruth Goldway helped establish the Wednesday market on Arizona Avenue as a way to bring fresh produce into the community while attracting people back to a struggling downtown shopping district. It opened with just 23 farmers and quickly became one of the largest publicly operated farmers markets in Los Angeles County. Under longtime market manager Laura Avery, who took over in 1982 and remained for 36 years, the market became especially influential in Southern California’s farm-to-table movement, creating close relationships between growers and chefs and encouraging farmers to cultivate unusual or specialty produce for local restaurants. The system later expanded to four markets, including the Downtown Saturday market, established in 1991 and known for its high proportion of certified-organic growers.

Farmers Markets

Location

Memories

Share this page

Details