Rose Bowl Flea Market

So much good stuff! Great way to spend the day, just browse and get inspired, or pick up some knick knacks for your place!

This is a great spot if you ever get a chance it’s on the second Sunday of each month at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena you’ll find celebrities walking around buying collectibles antiques clothing and much more they have great food it’s fun for you and the whole family is very big and almost takes all day to go through there’s over 2000 vendors there they have paid parking handicap parking and self-​serve parking just remember get there early for the best deals

It was a giant flea market. Nothing spectacular, but still a fun afternoon nevertheless. The people watching is really amazing (best part) and it’s fun to sift through the all the weird old things (like a chastity belt).
I wouldn’t rush back, but if I lived here and had a Sunday to kill or was looking for something specific like an old camera or a typewriter, I’d be all about it.

I love it here!!! So many awesome things, im definitely will be coming back very soon. I wasn’t sure if you can bring in coffee or not, but thank the gods you can. Tons of free parking. If you forget where you park most of the time. Bring a balloon filled with helium and tie it to your car. So from far away you can see where your car is located.

I love this flea market! A great place to shop for furniture. Come with cash and prepare to be blown away at all the vendors.
Pets are not allowed, with exception of therapy dogs. Stop in to check out the stadium and Hall of fame as well. It is open on market day.
Happy swapping!

Love this flea market. They have so many options whether you’re looking for something vintage or something new. The place is massive so wear some comfortable shoes because there is a lot to go through. Some of the vendors weren’t very nice but there were so many other things to go through I just walked away.

HOLY CRAP THIS IS A RIDICULOUS MENAGERIE… If you have the patience you may be able to find it here. What you ask, the answer is whatever the hell you can think of.
They have it all from houseplants to 18^th century urns to a new/​used pair of doc martens to modern art masterpieces the size of a UHaul. Literally, if you want it, they have it.
Learn to negotiate. This place will definitely see how good at it you are. Everything here is negotiable depending on quantity, popularity, and your negotiation skills. I have never paid the initial cost for anything that I have purchased here. The only exception to that is if you are buying food/​drink from the official grub spots I’m willing to bet.
I have found and purchased all kinds of weird random stuff here eg: Bronze Tea Pot with a special bronze stand, garden stool with implements in pouches, a baldric (back borne sword scabbard, darth vader helmet, artwork, etc.
I am serious though, if you can dream up something, I bet you can find it here and if no one has it, they may have it on a successive trip out here. But be smart and bring a backpack and/​or wheeled basket to carry stuff, an umbrella if it’s a hot/​sunny day, and beverages to drink because you don’t want to pay their inflated prices for drinks…

I love going to this flea market swap meet! You can walk and walk and walk… AND I always find great deals! It is so enormous that it is impossible to finish walking around the entirety of the place, so it is best to saunter around and soak in the variety of items for sale.
I enjoy talking to the endless venders about their unique products and this swap meet has EVERYTHING from one of a kind items, brand new items as well as used or vintage items, which includes clothing. It is a treat to peruse this behemoth swap meet every so often because it is nice interesting outing.

The businesses and sellers and whathaveyou that come to this flea market are not the most polite or willing to discuss. They charge a lot for their products and don’t interact with prospective buyers in such a way that is conducive to continued conversation. It’s an approach that assumes the worst and I think becomes a self-​fulfilling prophecy.
People don’t know what they’re selling and when asked what the price is they don’t think about it in such a way that leads you to believe they’re trying to remember but thinking about how much they think they can charge in that moment.
I purchased a few pretty cool items with which I’ll decorate my home but I think I lucked out. My two friends who were actually there with the intent to buy stuff left empty-​handed.

If you come on a hot day, remember to bring your own drinks!
I heard some people walking around complaining about how expensive the food and drinks were. They felt as if they were purchasing items at the movie theaters. I agree though. Most «swap meets» are cheaper than here. So glad I brought my own water in. If you plan to go later on a hot day, bring a hat, shades, and/​or umbrella. Make sure you watch where you are walking though. I had 2 people run into me and it was so annoying. I had to shoved one person out of the way.
There were a ton of cool new, used, common and random items on the lot. I ended up just buying a hat for my upcoming cruise. Make sure you visit some other vendors before buying immediately; vendors sell the same items here and you may find a better deal.
Some places accept credit card, others accept cash only. So make sure you bring cash or you can use the ATM on site. We didn’t see everything at this flea market because my friends wanted to leave early; it was too hot. Next time (if ever), we’re coming when it’s cooler.
Parking is free. Admission is not. General admission is $ 8. You’re allowed reentry with your ticket and a stamp. If you came to browse around, I guess it’s a cool one time thing to do. I don’t think it’s worth $ 8 for entry though. They even have a VIP deal; I’d say it’s a ripoff.
Also, watch for dumb*** drivers on the road. This guy was supposed to yield, but instead, he accelerated and almost hit me. What an idiot. I followed him most of the way into the parking lot. I was going to let him have it but decided to drop it after giving him a hand gesture.

I am happy to have been in LA when there was a flea market at Rose Bowl. Well, flea market is not the right word. Vintage and collectible market is better as the prices are higher than at flea markets. I reckon most sellers know their bit about what’s junk and not :)
We came at opening time and the lines had started already but it went quick to buy tickets. The market was divided in sections, grab a map! Anyway, the clothing section was not my cup of tea, and if you walk down one aisle, you have seen all. Loads of t shirts and old clothes.
The collectible section took about two hours to walk through. We walked systematically aisle by aisle. Bring water. If I had lived in the States, I would buy midcentury furniture. So much nice stuff!
I looked for cathrineholm and such, did find two. Surprisingly few midcentury stalls with that!
There was a section inside too but with new stuff. did not check out at all. The food court was ok but pricy even to a Norwegian ;)
Will come back and if you are a retro nerd, you would too!
Ps bring cash and remember to haggle!
Ps2 parking was free and easy picy

My best friend and I have been to this flea market together twice since last year. The first time I went with her, I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for and didn’t purchase anything. So, I would definitely recommend having something in mind before you go. Be focused and you will find amazing things there! The cost for entrance is $ 8 cash only and they give you change in $ 2 bills! How fun!
The flea market itself is rows and rows upon rows of people selling antique, homemade and new things. It’s a home owners or renters dream land. If you are a collector, you are bound to find something here that you want!
Its always good to bring cash here. Don’t forget to haggle, the original price can be negotiated! Especially if you’re going to buy in bulk. Bring a shopping wagon or something larger if you plan of purchasing pieces of furniture or multiple items, and don’t forget you’re re-​useable bags!

Very fun! A must experience at least once in your life.
Entrance is $ 8 per person, cash (after 9 am). It would be nice if they gave out online coupons for a bit of a discount. It’s a higher entrance fee, if you want to go even earlier. There are a lot of workers around to help — crossing guards, people directing parking and traffic, etc.
There is an ATM at the front entrance by admission. It charges a fee to withdraw money.
Parking is free, but can be a bit of a walk. Plenty of restrooms around the stadium for use.
Bring comfortable shoes, a hat, and sunblock, there is a lot of ground to cover. It takes about 3 hours to walk the whole thing. Everything is outdoors in the sun. Bring lots of ice cold water or your own drinks. They sell drink and foods, but it is pricey. I think a cup of lemonade was $ 5.
There was a very huge selection of vintage and antique sellers, so if this is your style, there will be lots to buy. Lots of mid century furniture pieces — dressers, sofas, chairs, coffee tables, desks, etc. Lots of little knick-​knack type décor. Lots of vintage cameras, drawer pull knobs, patches for clothes, denim, women’s clothes, and lots of old shoes too.
Some sellers negotiates, others do not. Around the stadium are new merchandise sellers, a lot of little «boutique» like items like clothes, pillows, ties, etc.

It’s every second Sunday of the month and I have been coming here for years. Admission is $ 8 after 9am and by then it’s already pretty packed. It’s a fun thing to do in the summer except for the fact that it does get beaming hot, so I recommend you bring a water bottle or two because you will probably be there for a few hours.
Towards the entrance are more antiques like furniture, large fixtures and décor. There’s also a wide selection of vinyls scattered all over the place. To get to all of the good clothing, you have to cross the bridge to the back lot. Be prepared though because it is VERY overwhelming. I usually sort of set up a game plan and snake through each aisle accordingly and try not to spend too much time in one booth because there’s so much more to see! Vendors are very friendly and prices are almost always negotiable. I have experienced in the past that if you frequent a certain vendor enough, they may remember you and give you better discounts :) I usually leave extremely happy with all my purchases and have bought things ranging from jewelry, to rare shoes, to old school basketball jerseys, to vintage designer clothing. Oh, and this place is a mecca for flannels, high waisted shorts, and camoflauge jackets– you’ll usually see either or all of these in each aisle. Whatever style you have, you are bound to find something you like.

It’s held the 2^nd Sunday of every Month. Parking is free.
ADMISSION IS:
5am — 7am = $ 20 for VIP Admission
7am — 8am = $ 15 Early Admission
8am — 9am = $ 10 Express Admission
9am onward = $ 8 General Admission (Children under 12 is Free)
Prices are a little hi and the place is PACKED.

It’s a huge flea marker, though a lot of the stuff is repetitive. We picked up some simple items at low cost that were good finds. For the bigger stuff, you need to bring a cart or some way to get it back to your car. It’s a little tough.
We spent a ton of money on food. It was pretty much all over priced. The soft pretzels and the pineapple lemonade were probably the highlights.
A fun experience and a giant flea market, for those who like such things.

Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea takes place every 2^nd Sunday every month. Admission fee is $ 8 but if you plan to beat the crowd, go early but admission fee will be more pricey.
The first time I went, I was overwhelmed! There are so many booths! The area is so huge and it takes me hours to explore the place. However, after a couple of visits, we are more familiar with the place and which section to look for the things we were planning to buy. However, after our 3^rd visit, we felt that the things is overpriced given that we still have to pay an admission fee. We have not gone back ever since unless we really have to. Decided to check out other fleas instead.

The Rose Bowl Flea Market is an open air swap meet, so your experience may be handcuffed to the weather, be it sunny and hot or raining. It’s monthly, the 2^nd Sunday of every Month.
Parking is FREE which is great. Get your hand stamped on the way out if you’re loading up your car to drop off purchases too for re-​entry.
TIERED ADMISSION:
5am — 7am = $ 20 for VIP Admission
7am — 8am = $ 15 Early Admission
8am — 9am = $ 10 Express Admission
9am onward = $ 8 General Admission (Children under 12 is Free)
Fair warning of course, not all vendors are necessarily set up ’til 9am. Most folks who shop early are bargain hunting resellers, so there’s no mad rush to get in unless you’re short on time and want to get in early and get out quicker. I think it shuts down at 4:30pm, but vendors probably star packing up earlier.
I get a sense that there’s not any goldmine lottery finds here. You probably won’t find an original Declaration of Independence, Superman #1 comic book, 1918 Inverted Jenny postage stamp nor 1909 T206 Honus Wagner baseball card or any Picasso, Dali, Renoir original art framed behind a cheaper painting as you hear about on Antique Roadshow, Storage Wars, Pawn Stars or read stories about others finding treasured valuables at yard sales or in their attic.
You may find some modern day collectibles such as out of print CD’s, DVD’s, Books, etc that may be a buck or so that’s worth $ 100+, but you need to know what you’re looking for with a keen eye.
Watch out ‘tho for «Reproductions» of items which look like antiques, but are reprinted in the modern age to look retro old and worn… CAVEAT EMPTOR.
This feels more like a place where young hipsters come to buy décor and novelties for their home. I hear people say, this is a place where the sellers don’t have to deal with nickle n’ dime negotiators as much trying to find bargains and drill down prices. So, there’s not a whole lot of bargains per se, but some unique opportunities to find stuff not readily available and great gift items/​ideas too, especially if you’re a bit off center with a quirky or unique style n’ flair.
With smartphones and internet access, the best way to comparison shop is go on eBay as you walk around (but don’t be a rude pig about it, use it to educate yourself more so than as leverage in negotiations) and try to find the item you’re looking at and click onto «completed /​sold» items to get the historical precedent of actual sales prices. After all, if an item is still available for sale, any price tag on it means nothing, that’s just the asking price, so is subjective and isn’t necessarily the market value. You can make educated offers based on that knowledge and feel confident you paid a fair price give or take a few bucks.
You’ll quickly observe, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure and it’s a nostalgic journey back to the era of almost eveyone’s childhood as well as the history of their ancestors dating back to the 1800’s as well as a lot of retro cool stuff from the 1920′‘s to 1960’s and then the cheesy 1970’s, 80’s and now even 90’s stuff that’s over 20 years old but feels like yesterday.
To check out, and briskly at that, all vendors, you’ll need at least 3−4+ hours. 2 Hours will give you a look at maybe half the vendors. I’d personally recommend this as an all day activity. Shop with people who have equal patience and stamina.
The main problem is there’s no organized booth numbering or rows nor sections I could decipher, so it’s hard to have a methodical approach to going up, down and across each isle/​section. It also makes it hard to remember where you saw things you’re interested to comparison shop and return back to. At times you may be best off negotiating then and there and just buying on impulse. Also, I notice many patrons bring these old lady styled shopping basket carts on wheels to carry their purchases. This place is awesome in that big heavy bulky items for furniture or display are offered for sale, and you have to figure out how you’re going to get it to your car and if it’ll fit.
It’s less like most flea markets where there’s a lot of junk (old tools, brand name knock offs, etc.) and a lot more style to it with collectibles of value and appeal.
They have a food area, it’s priced for hipsters, a la food truck style, so it’s going to cost you $ 10−20+ per person to eat here, ‘tho the Fair has a $ 2 hot dog and there’s a few others offering cheap eats, for the most part it’s a lot more.
I really like this place because it’s like a museum of sort, great for browsing and people watching. You’ll find yourself seeing stuff you had growing up and wondering where yours went or regretting donating it, especially after seeing some have high collector’s item value today. It’s enough to make you want to become a horder and never throw anything away, speculating one day your items of today are the valued collectibles of tomorrow and you may one day rent an area her to sell your wares

I don’t think flea market is the right word for this place. Bazaar maybe?
The rose bowl and part of the surrounding parking lot become a city of homemade goods, antiques, vintage clothes, and other oddities.
The inner loop of the rose bowl is where you find the homemade goods. These can range from knitted hats, bath products, to homemade pottery (which is what brought us here because my fiancé was selling some of his pottery).
Venture outside of the loop and you will find antiques and other collectibles. Things range from as small as a shot glass to as large as a new couch.
At the very outskirt is where you find vintage clothing. Fur coats, jeans, dresses, anything you could ever want or need is at your fingertips. My friend, through a twist of fate, found a t-​shirt/​moo moo from the first women’s conference of Burkina Faso, which is where she does her research. Go figure!
As the day goes on the price of admission gets cheaper and cheaper. The price of the goods will also get cheaper and cheaper. Unlike your typical store, haggling here is welcomed. We were there till just about closing time and people were giving us deep discounts so they didn’t haver to take it home with them.
Make a day of this, go out with some friends, and enjoy this crazy unique experience.
¹⁶⁄₁₀₀

Two essentials: sunscreen and a hat. Bring water too if you don’t mind carrying it. I finally checked out the Flea Market over the weekend. Wear comfy walking shoes, because it really is huge. People are selling just about everything you can imagine, from furniture to vintage furs. Some stuff really is junk, like the table of cheap toys (including battered McDonald’s toys) or the excessively worn shoes. But I saw plenty of things that looked valuable, like vintage jewelry and certain accessories. Bring snacks or be prepared to pay for overpriced food and drink. We tried a pupusa and mango-​pineapple juice from one stand in the Food Court, and they were both quite good and not too expensive. I was impressed that an event like this still has free parking, unlike most similar events around LA. I look froward to going back some time!