santa monica farmers market

There are actually 3 different farmer markets in Santa Monica. The Arizona market in downtown is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Virginia Park market is also on Saturdays and the Main Street market is on Sundays. These markets offer locally grown produce and other products. They are very popular and highly visited. If you are in the area and want fresh produce, try one of the markets. If not, go to your local grocery store

but its very expensive, and don't assume, the quality and price are better then some of the local markets.

I'd been looking forward to shopping at this particular farmers' market for a while. It was one of the largest that I've seen in Southern California and went on for numerous blocks. Winter now so variety of the selection not that large, but my husband had a great time getting samples of all the different types of oranges and I had a few too, and they tasted great! The market is in the morning from early until about 1:00, so combine shopping with having lunch at the many surrounding restaurants (see my review of Locanda del Lago) and/or a walk down the pier or along the beach a few blocks away. A nice way to spend part of a day.

We travelled on starling buses with an open top so got off at the farmers market after our concierge told us it's an enjoyable day. It was, lots to do, restaurants and great shops, however, it's still a typical American shopping mall, reminded me of Florida parks.worth going and suggest if your passing,check it out.

The wednesday market was fab! So many locals which is a good sign. We bought sone great fresh fruit for the holidays and had a a loveky friendly chat to some suppliers. Go if you get the chance.

We've been to lots of farmers markets all over the world and the Santa Monica one is, when it comes to produce, average. Seen better, seen worse.But all the different artisanal food stalls, music, entertainment and little attractions (many for kids and families) make it well worth a visit. At the very least a detour off the beach for half an hour.

Notice that out of 52 reviews, the only five that denigrate the adorable pony rides are all within a week of one another, in an astroturfed clandestine effort to support the Santa Monica Commie Council's efforts at that time to ban this attraction and abolish the last vestiges of fun from our miserable proletarian lives No mentions before nor since. Further, two of the only three "terrible" reviews and the single "poor" review all come from these same five curmudgeons.In a news interview the keeper of the ponies showed they were treated to the finest vet care at their lovely ranch several miles north of the city.What angry, unhappy lives these five fake reviewers must lead, to have the time to diminish the joy of these children and the productive employment of these otherwise bereft ponies.

Happened across this without realising it was such a big thing. Amazing - great food to eat and buy. The chilli/lime almonds kept us going for almost two weeks.

Fun to see what produce are in season and try them. If you are a visitor, this Farmers Market is an excellent place to buy delicious nuts and dried fruits. The Santa Monica Farmers Market is only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Wed. and Sat. Markets on the Promenade are very good, but the one on Main Street on Sunday is just depressing. As you walk in to the market the first thing you see at the Main Street Farmers Market is the pony ride. Ponies with children on their backs going around and around in circles. It is shocking that something like this is going on every week at the farmers market. It is depressing to see. You can't get the thought of the ponies out of your head the whole time you're there. It's just a primitive spectacle of animal exploitation.

It's more of a flea market than a farmers market, with too much Main St. commercialism.I agree with the the other reviewers...the pony rides and animal petting area are very disturbing. Exposing children to this cruel treatment of ponies is wrong...so if you must go, leave the kids at home, or better yet, skip this market and go to the wonderful, cruelty free market on Saturday in downtown Santa Monica. Lots more organic fruits and vegetables also!

The variety and produce in the Santa Monica Farmers Market is generally wonderful, but I can only recommend the Saturday markets in Downtown SM and on Pico. These are great places to pick up fresh produce, herbs, flowers and walk the community. However, the Sunday market (on Main St.) includes a petting zoo, which puts on display, among other things, ponies tied to metal poles for circle rides. I was shocked that our progressive community permitted this petting zoo in the first place, and I am even more disappointed that it continues to do so in the face of continued complaints.

I have lived two blocks away from this market since I moved to Santa Monica many years ago - but never go because I cannot stand seeing the sad ponies tied their sensitive muzzles to an iron bar- in the heat- going round and round- on the cement- music blasting in their ears- barely being given water because they will urinate- it makes my heart hurt to watch the parents smile while they watch their little kids tied in to the saddles- some miserable - some excited- while the parents never notice the condition of the animals- how can anyone love a child and feel nothing for animals- i will never know- the petting zoo is even more depressing- the small animals- constantly bred to have 'babies' cringe in horror and try to run from these small children who run after them- petting zoos have long been known for being terribly abusive to animals- Santa Monica- a world- wide destination and a supposed "liberal palace'- has allowed this abuse to continue- and previously allowed worse- the vendor doing it before - had dead animals parked in the truck- no one cared until a neighbor heard noises- there is no oversight here- the city is not honest and although I feel for the other vendors who work hard at a not easy job- I cannot wait to see the ponies get a better venue and this slavery- which is what it is stop- I am sorry to see so many reviews here where almost no one even notices- no wonder the slaughter of animals and horrid things are going on- no one even sees it- I will not go to this market for anything and I am sad to see so many reviews going on and on about a garlic clove or other things but never even seeing the ponies and babies animals-

How unfortunate that visitors to this market a few blocks from my home must pass tethered ponies and penned alpacas before purchasing pesticide-free fruits and veggies. There's nothing sustainable or organic about tethering ponies to a metal bar and forcing them to plod in a tiny circle for hours on concrete, car exhaust in their face, band music hammering their ears. Even some of the market vendors have signed a Move On petition to shut down these exploitative animal sideshows. Yes, the honey walnut butter is tasty and, yes, the blueberries are good for you, but normalizing animal exploitation is not, especially when it come to teaching our children that tethering is the norm. Santa Monica could learn a lot from studying farmers markets in Portland, where cooking contests and arts and crafts attract families without featuring animal exhibits from a bygone era.

I love Farmer's Markets and this is a really good one. The location is great and I really enjoyed tasting some of the fresh fruit. It's a great place to buy fresh produce but also just fun to walk through.