The Boulder Creek Farmers Market at Junction Park

On a Thursday in the third week of August, the tables at Junction Park held yellow peaches, green pluots and shiitake mushrooms. A band played through the afternoon. The market runs Thursdays from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., late April through September.

There were nectarines, dry-farmed tomatoes and armfuls of kale, too. Mycelium Meadows brought the mushrooms. A Mexican bakery had conchas, flan, cookies and bread; another table held crocheted toys and bits and bobbles.

My baby daughter ate her first yellow peach at that market, gnawing at it with the few little teeth she has until close to half of it was gone. She is a fan. She also could not leave the crochet table without a ball, which is closer to a hackysack than a ball, and it has come with us everywhere since.

The basics

• When: Thursdays, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
• Season: late April through September. The 2026 season ends with the market on Thursday, September 24.
• Where: Junction Park, Middleton Avenue at Railroad Avenue, Boulder Creek
• Who runs it: the Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District, 831-338-4144
• Dogs: only certified service dogs are allowed at Junction Park during the market, per the Santa Cruz County Health Department

Thursday dates for the rest of this season are on our events calendar alongside everything else happening in town.

Shopping what’s there

Leave some room in the shopping list for what you find. On that August visit, fruit, bread and vegetables shared the market with crafts; the tables made more sense as a place to browse than as a complete grocery run.

I come at this market as someone who grows food a mile up the road, which means I know how much work is in every table you walk past.

Getting there and parking

Junction Park sits downtown where Middleton Avenue meets Railroad Avenue, a short walk off Highway 9. Most of the tables set up outside the park entrance, with a couple just inside it, and the lawn itself stays clear, so the picnic tables and the path down to the river carry on with whoever was already there on a warm afternoon.

There is parking in the Junction Park lot itself, and street parking along the way in, so there is no need to leave the car downtown and walk up. If you live close, walking is still the easier call. See our roads and parking notes if you're coming in from out of the valley.

Payment and vendor questions

EBT and CalFresh. EBT acceptance is unconfirmed. Call the recreation district at 831-338-4144 before relying on it.

Becoming a vendor. Ask the district about current applications, fees and available spaces.

Making an afternoon of it

The market lands at a good hour for stacking errands. The downtown shops are a two-minute walk, the library is up on West Park Avenue, and dinner is easy if you'd rather not cook what you just bought. See where to eat in Boulder Creek.

The district also runs Free Food Fridays in the open lot next to Jenna Sue's Cafe, every Friday from 3 p.m. until the items are gone, moving to Junction Park if it rains. That's a separate program from the market, and it's free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What day is the Boulder Creek Farmers Market?

Thursday, from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., at Junction Park.

What months does it run?

Late April through September. The last market of 2026 is Thursday, September 24, per the Recreation and Park District. It doesn't run through the winter.

Where exactly is it?

Junction Park, at Middleton Avenue and Railroad Avenue in downtown Boulder Creek, a short walk off Highway 9. The tables are mostly outside the park entrance rather than on the lawn.

Can I bring my dog?

Only certified service dogs are allowed at Junction Park during the market, under a Santa Cruz County Health Department rule that applies to markets generally.

Does the market accept EBT or CalFresh?

That isn't published anywhere. Call the Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District at 831-338-4144 to check before you go.

How do I sell at the market?

There's no published application. Start with the recreation district at 831-338-4144, or its office at 13333 Middleton Avenue, open Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Is this a certified farmers market?

Boulder Creek isn't on Santa Cruz County's certified-market list, and the organizers don't advertise certification. Treat it as a community market.

Market dates move with the season, and our events calendar carries the current ones. If a date or a vendor detail here has gone stale, let us know.