Vendor Events in San Mateo, CA

25 spots open

The San Mateo County Fair is a ten-day festival celebrating the culture, agriculture, and community spirit of San Mateo County. Held at the San Mateo County Event Center on Saratoga Drive, the fair runs from June 5-14, 2026, bringing together thousands of visitors looking to experience everything from livestock competitions to live entertainment. This is a traditional county fair, meaning it blends agricultural heritage with modern attractions, creating an event that draws families, food enthusiasts, and shoppers of all ages. County fairs like the San Mateo County Fair are known for their wide range of vendor opportunities. You'll find agricultural vendors selling fresh produce, plants, and farm products, alongside artisans offering handmade crafts, jewelry, home goods, and gifts. Food vendors are a major draw at these events, with both established food service operators and small producers selling everything from traditional fair food to specialty baked goods and local products. Local businesses and nonprofits also use county fairs as a platform to reach their communities. The festival atmosphere of the San Mateo County Fair extends beyond vendor booths. Attendees come for competitive events, livestock shows, live entertainment, and family activities that run throughout the ten-day event. This steady flow of foot traffic over an extended period creates strong exposure for vendors compared to single-day events. The June timing means fair-goers are in a summer mindset, looking to spend time outdoors, enjoy entertainment, and purchase items for entertaining and gifting. For vendors, the San Mateo County Fair represents a significant selling opportunity in a high-traffic environment with a broad demographic appeal. The mixed vendor format means customers come specifically to shop and explore, making it an ideal setting for anyone selling crafts, products, food, or services to the Bay Area community.

25 spots open

Taking place on April 18th, 2026, this one-time festival in San Mateo, CA brings together a curated mix of vintage dealers, antique vendors, and specialty retailers in one location. Unlike regular craft fairs that focus on handmade goods or farmers markets centered on local produce, a vintage expo draws collectors, curators, and everyday shoppers looking for one-of-a-kind pieces with history and character. Whether you sell vintage clothing and accessories, mid-century furniture, antique home décor, collectibles, vinyl records, or curated secondhand finds, this event attracts people specifically hunting for authentic vintage goods. The San Mateo Vintage Expo appeals to a broad audience spanning different interests and budgets. You'll find serious collectors hunting for specific eras or styles, interior designers sourcing unique pieces for clients, gift shoppers looking for something distinctive, and casual browsers who enjoy the thrill of discovering unexpected treasures. Spring timing in April means attendees are often in the mindset of refreshing their homes or wardrobes seasonally, making them particularly engaged buyers. The San Mateo location serves the wider Bay Area community, drawing foot traffic from surrounding neighborhoods and beyond. Because this is a one-time event rather than an ongoing weekly or monthly market, it often generates concentrated interest and buzz. Vendors at vintage expos tend to bring their strongest inventory and most eye-catching displays, knowing this is a singular opportunity to connect with customers. The mixed vendor focus means shoppers will encounter variety across booths, keeping the event feeling fresh as visitors browse. This format works well for vendors carrying vintage, antique, or curated goods who want to reach an audience specifically interested in vintage shopping without the commitment of recurring market dates.

25 spots open

Every summer, San Mateo County's largest celebration takes over the Event Center on Saratoga Drive with a full 10-day festival that brings the community together for rides, entertainment, food, and shopping. The San Mateo County Fair runs June 5-14, 2026, and welcomes a diverse mix of vendors, from local artisans to food purveyors to commercial exhibitors. The fairgrounds atmosphere draws families, foodies, crafters, and shoppers looking for everything from handmade goods to seasonal treats to entertainment and activities. For makers and artisans, the fair features a dedicated Makers Marketplace where local creatives showcase handcrafted items directly to thousands of fairgoers. This is a high-traffic retail environment, the kind of event where a well-displayed booth of handmade jewelry, pottery, textiles, candles, or woodwork connects with serious browsers and gift-buyers over a full 10 days. Summer timing means peak season for consumers looking for unique gifts, home decor, and locally-made goods. The 2026 fair's "In Bloom" sub-theme adds a seasonal garden and floral element to the overall vibe, which can influence both the crowd's mindset and what kinds of vendors thrive. Beyond the Makers Marketplace, the San Mateo County Fair accommodates food vendors, commercial booths, and specialty exhibits like the Home Arts Pavilion, creating a full fairground experience rather than a single-category market. This mixed-vendor approach means your booth sits alongside diverse offerings, live entertainment stages, carnival rides, agricultural displays, and more. The result is strong foot traffic throughout the day and into the evening, with attendees spending extended time on the grounds. Whether you sell craft goods, food, or services, you're tapping into the Peninsula's summer festival season when people are out spending time and money in a celebratory mood. The San Mateo County Fair delivers the scale and visitor volume that makes a 10-day commitment worthwhile for vendors serious about reaching their market.

25 spots open

This weekly farmers market in San Mateo operates Tuesday evenings from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM, running from May through mid-October at the corner of 25th Avenue and Hacienda Street. It's a seasonal market that captures the spring-through-fall harvest cycle, making it an ideal venue for vendors selling fresh produce, eggs, seafood, honey, nuts, and prepared foods. The evening timing appeals to working professionals and families who can stop by after work or school, creating a different dynamic than morning markets and drawing crowds looking to stock up for weeknight dinners and weekend meals. As a farmers market, this event focuses on direct-from-producer sales, meaning shoppers expect locally sourced and fresh items. The vendor mix typically includes small farms bringing vegetables and specialty produce, beekeepers with honey products, fishmongers with fresh seafood, egg producers, and nut vendors. Many markets like this also feature prepared food vendors, think ready-to-eat meals, baked goods, or value-added products made from local ingredients. The farmers market format attracts quality-conscious shoppers, home cooks, and people building relationships with their local food producers. The market's location in San Mateo, in the heart of San Mateo County, serves a suburban and semi-urban customer base. The acceptance of SNAP/EBT, WIC, and Senior FMNP benefits makes it accessible to a broad range of shoppers, while credit card payments offer convenience. This is a solid year-round opportunity for food vendors who want to establish regular customer relationships during the productive growing season. The consistent weekly schedule means repeat business and the chance to build a loyal customer base who know when and where to find you.

25 spots open

Every Saturday morning year-round, the College of San Mateo Certified Farmers' Market brings together local growers and food producers at 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd. in San Mateo. Operating from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, this weekly farmers market serves as a reliable hub for both vendors and shoppers looking for fresh, locally-sourced products throughout all seasons in San Mateo County. The market attracts a steady stream of community members seeking quality produce, baked goods, artisanal cheese, fresh eggs, and seafood directly from the people who grow and make them. Because this is a certified farmers market, vendors adhere to standards that give shoppers confidence in product freshness and origin. You'll find organic options available from multiple vendors, alongside conventional offerings, giving customers real choice in how they shop. Beyond food staples, the market also features crafts and fresh flowers, making it a more diverse shopping experience than a produce-only market. This mix means your customer base isn't limited to just grocery shoppers but also includes people browsing for gifts, seasonal décor, and unique handmade items. What sets a farmers market like this apart from typical retail spaces is the direct relationship between vendor and customer. People come to farmers markets specifically to support local agriculture and artisans, and they're often willing to pay a premium for quality and story. The College of San Mateo location benefits from consistent foot traffic throughout the year, including winter months when many other markets close. The market's acceptance of SNAP/EBT benefits, WIC, and Senior FMNP vouchers means a broad demographic shops here, from budget-conscious families to seniors accessing nutrition programs to affluent customers prioritizing local sourcing. Whether you sell conventional or organic produce, specialty foods, baked goods, or craft items, a weekly commitment to this San Mateo farmers market provides predictable exposure to a loyal, engaged customer base across all twelve months.