Hillcrest Farmers Market

The Hillcrest Farmers Market is back on University Avenue this Sunday, November 8, from 9 AM to 2 PM. It's a year-round thing, so it runs rain or shine and on holidays, too.

If you've never been, it's San Diego's original and largest farmers market. It opened on April 13, 1997, with just 27 vendors, and now it draws more than 10,000 visitors a week. Founding Executive Director Warren Simon still runs it, and he bills it as "The Best" farmers market in San Diego County. One of the things that keeps it fresh is that the vendors change every week, so you'll find different things each time you go.

There are more than 175 vendors in total. A good chunk of the locally grown produce is grown organically or without pesticides, and alongside the produce you'll find gifts, arts and crafts, flowers, and clothing. There's also a wide variety of prepared and hot food, with a particular emphasis on international cuisine, and local musicians provide entertainment throughout the day. If you're a regular, you can pick up a frequent-shopper punch card, with drawings held on the last day of each quarter. You can also buy Market Bucks gift certificates, which honor two of Hillcrest's pioneering activists, State Senator Christine Kehoe and Warren Simon.

Right now, the market is set up on University Avenue, from Herbert Street to Park Boulevard in Hillcrest (1601 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103). It's been there since early 2025 while the Normal Street Promenade is under construction as its permanent home. Admission is free, and it runs every Sunday from 9 AM to 2 PM.