Families, friends, and neighbors gather together for live music, food, and drinks at Downtown Fullerton’s Market. The market started on April 7 and will continue every Thursday until Aug 25 from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Not to be confused with Fullerton’s Farmers Market on Wednesday, the Thursday market features live entertainment, shopping, and food vendors.
“I come for the beer and the live music,” said Alfred McNitt, a San Diego resident who visits his son in Fullerton at least once a month. “My son goes to the college over here, and he likes the music, so if the market’s going on, we’re here. I get drunk and my wife dances. He ditches us for his friends, which is typical. There’s something for everyone.”
The market offers a reasonable selection of food options. Hotdogs, pretzels, fries, and if you feel adventurous on your night out, you can choose between empanadas or crepes for dinner.
There is also a beer and wine garden in the museum’s courtyard where revelers can take in the live music and watch the freewheeling children.
The street is lined with vendors selling their goods. From fresh produce to homemade scented candles and jewelry, there are plenty of birthday gifts or anniversary presents.
“I handcraft everything you see on the table. I pour my own candles, make my own soaps, create lotion scrubs, face masks. This is my second year here. I’m here every week,” said Maggie Baduria, owner of Soaps n’ Such. “I make everything in my kitchen. It’s not a clean house but it smells good.”
The vendors at Fullerton Market take their jobs seriously. Traveling from one market to the next, owners pay daily rent for spots in cities nearby, such as Huntington Beach and Placentia. As hard-working entrepreneurs, the job can consist of turning their homes into workstations or creating special memories for their clients with their artistic talents.
“When the whole COVID hit, I started making arrangements with succulents that I had home,” said Kandie Gonzales, the owner of Peace, Sol, & Succulents. “That is when I started selling them for Mother’s Day to make money to pay rent because I wasn’t eligible for unemployment back then. That’s how this started, and it became a passion.”
Not only is this a venue for shopping and supporting the small businesses of Fullerton, but the market can be a much-needed break from real life. With kids dancing in the plaza fountain, dogs eating popcorn scraps off the floor, and elderly couples smiling and snapping photos of their grandchildren, the Fullerton market is a pleasant reminder that life is, well…good.
