Meet Me at the Market
By: Shanice Hawkins, Social Media Editor
Every Sunday, the Good Times Farmers Market transforms Valley College’s Parking Lot A into a community hub featuring 40 local vendors, free activities and fresh produce.
Before opening Good Times Farmers Market, which takes place every Sunday on campus, Rogelio Gonzalez was a vendor at a farmers market in North Hollywood. After working behind a booth, Gonzalez decided to create one of his own with a focus on bringing the community together.
It serves as a third space — a social setting outside of home, work or school where people can gather and build connections.
What started two years ago with 20 vendors has grown to 40, some of whom have been there since the beginning.
“I worked with Rogelio when we both worked at a different farmers market, and he had this idea to open up his own. He invited me, and we’ve been here ever since,” said Anna Kurihara, a vendor with Fideo Café. “We love this market. Everyone loves, supports and uplifts each other.”
That sense of community doesn't happen by chance. Gonzalez designed the market to bring people together beyond the vendor booths.
The smell of freshly prepared food fills the air as children laugh and play in colorful bounce houses. Families sit together eating pastries while shoppers weave between booths. In a world where people are increasingly connected through screens but disconnected from their neighbors, Gonzalez's market offers more than a place to shop.
Every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Good Times Farmers Market transforms Parking Lot A on the LAVC campus into a place filled with fresh produce, delicious food and handcrafted items. Tables, seating and free activities like a bounce house and live music are intentionally provided to encourage visitors to stay and spend time together rather than leave as soon as their shopping is done.
For the surrounding community, the market offers families a place to spend their Sunday together while supporting local farmers and vendors. Parents can shop for produce or food while their children play, turning an ordinary grocery trip into a morning out. For local businesses, the market provides a platform to sell products and build lasting relationships with new customers. For students, it provides an opportunity to connect beyond the classroom.
For Gonzalez, the journey has come full circle. Once a vendor looking to create his own market, he now provides a space for the community to gather and support one another.
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