Simone Spotlight - East Bay Farmer's Markets Guide for Families
Simone Spotlight - Farmer's Market
March 7th
🎉 Hey East Bay 🎉
East Bay Farmer’s Markets Guide for Families
Farmers Markets are a great (admission-free) destination for the whole family to get some fresh air, while also gathering fruits and veggies for the week — and supporting local farmers!
Covid-19 Update: Most of these fresh food markets are back up and running but with some of our favorite family-friendly amenities like fruit sampling, live music, and splash pads on hold or only slowly returning.
Kids’ Favorite East Bay Farmers Markets
A few of our favorite local farmers’ markets go beyond the freshest of fresh food to offer entertainment for the littles. Here are our children’s favorite weekly food-centered festivals:
Grand Lake Farmers Market (Saturdays 9-2)
Splash Pad Park sits at the nexus of Grand and Lakeshore Avenues, and this overflowing market often offers a bouncy house and a chance for little ones to get wet if they want to step into the fountain and live music. Sources tell us on a really sunny weekend, there’s face painting and balloon guy, too. Find out more about the Grand Lake Farmers Market.
Website >>
https://www.agriculturalinstitute.org/grand-lake
Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market (Saturdays 10-3)
Location (Center Street @ M. L. King, Jr. Way) is king with this market. Besides the local produce, live music, fresh pretzels, and apple cider, it’s adjacent to the Berkeley Public Library and the YMCA with more room to run on the lawns at the Cal Campus.
Website >>
Jack London Square Farmers’ Market (Sundays 9-2)
Kids love the proximity to boats and the train tracks, plus big kids will want to stop in at Plank for a round of skeeball. Stop by the kids’ corner for crafts and other fun activities for the whole family. There’s so much to do at Jack London Square for kids.
Website >>
https://www.pcfma.org/market/jack-london-square-farmers-market
Temescal Farmers’ Market (Sundays 9-1)
Rain or shine, the parking lot of the Claremont Ave DMV transforms on Sunday mornings to an urban village with a creek running through it. Kids love messing around in the creek, water or not, and parents love the coffee cart. Bring your wheels because a bike path takes you one block from the Market to Frog Park. There’s also a ton to do in Rockridge with your family.
Website >>
https://uvfm.org/temescal-sunday
Kensington Farmers’ Market (Sundays 9-2)
Colusa Circle shuts down Oak View Ave and fills up with vendors on Sunday mornings and live musicians. Camp chairs invite you to sit and watch a while. This market isn’t usually overly crowded, yet is still well attended. Grab some fresh flowers along with your treats to eat.
Website >>
https://www.kensingtonfarmersmarket.org/
Akoma Outdoor Market (1st Sundays 10-3)
Weather permitting, this farmers’ market highlights local Black and Brown farmers, vendors, organizations, and artists. In addition to the tasty treats, look for a roller skating rink (somehow, it is outdoors with a beautiful hardwood floor) that offers free family skating on market days. Typically hosted on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month and the first Sunday during the wintertime.
https://blackculturalzone.org/
Lots More East Bay Farmers Market locations
On a mild weather day, pushing a stroller around any Farmers Market can be a pleasant enough experience. Here are a few more to add to your rotation.
Community Produce Stand (Various Roving Locations!)
Mandela Partners’ mobile markets bring fresh, high-quality, and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables to communities that are under-served by more established farmers market programs. See the map to find one near you. SNAP saves half.
Alameda Farmers’ Market
Haight Ave & Webster Street, Alameda
Tuesdays & Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm
Akoma Outdoor Market, East Oakland
Foothill & 73rd Ave in East Oakland
1st & Third Sundays of the month, 10 am – 3 pm
Berkeley, Downtown
Center Street @ M. L. King, Jr. Way
Saturdays 10 am – 3 pm
Berkeley, North
Shattuck & Vine
Thursdays 3 pm – 7 pm
Berkeley, South
Adeline Street & 63rd (near Sweet Adeline Bakery)
Tuesdays 2 pm – 6:30 pm
Castro Valley Farmers Market
Corner of Redwood Rd. & Norbridge Ave (Castro Valley BART)
Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm
El Cerrito Plaza Farmers’ Market
El Cerrito Plaza
Tuesdays & Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm
Grand Lake Farmer’s Market
Grand Ave. & Lake Park Ave.
Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm
Hayward Farmers Market
City Hall Plaza
Saturday 9 am –1 pm
Irvington Farmer’s Market, Fremont
Bay St & Trimboli Way, Fremont
Sundays 9 am – 2 pm
Jack London Square Farmer’s Market, Oakland
Jack London Square
Sundays 9 am – 2 pm
Kensington Farmers’ Market
Colusa Circle, Kensington
Sundays 9 am – 2 pm
Livermore Farmers Market
Second St between J and L Streets, Livermore
Sundays 9 am – 1 pm
Montclair Village, Oakland
La Salle Ave & Moraga Ave
Sundays 9 am – 1 pm
Newark Farmers Market @ New Park Mall
2086 Newpark Mall, Newark
Sundays 9 am – 1 pm
Old Oakland
9th St between Broadway & Clay
Fridays 8 am – 2 pm
Pinole Farmers Market
798 Fernandez Ave., Pinole
Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm
Pleasanton Farmers’ Market
46 W Angela Street, Pleasanton
Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm
Richmond Farmers Market
24th Street & Barrett Ave., Richmond
Fridays 8 am – 5 pm
San Leandro Farmers’ Market @ Bayfair
Bayfair Center, E 14th St. https://uvfm.org/temescal-sunday
Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm
San Leandro Farmers’ Market, Downtown
1 Parrott Street @ E. 14th, San Leandro
Wednesdays 3 pm – 8:30 pm (Seasonal, May through October)
Temescal Farmer’s Market, Oakland
5300 Claremont Ave (DMV)
Sundays 9 am – 1 pm
Union City Farmers Market
30940 Watkins St., Union City
Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm