La Familia Farmers Market opens 2026 season in Albuquerque's South Valley

La Familia Farmers Market returned to Dolores Huerta Gateway Park with a Friday evening schedule meant to do more than sell produce. The 2026 season opened June 12 from 5 to 8 p.m. at 100 Isleta Blvd. SW, Albuquerque, pairing fresh vegetables, herbs and greens from regional farms with live music, food trucks and family activities that turned the market into a South Valley gathering place.

For nearby households, the market offers another regular place to buy fresh food in a part of Bernalillo County where access to affordable produce remains a practical issue, not just a policy slogan. The market will continue every Friday evening through the summer and fall, except July 3, creating a predictable routine for shoppers and a recurring sales opportunity for farmers and small vendors trying to build steady income.

The opening-day lineup included Daniel Solis, a Northern New Mexico native who performs Spanish music, country music and original compositions, along with youth dance performances, arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities and access to the park playground. The setup reflected the market’s goal of providing a mercado-like experience with locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, food trucks, music, open space and other products that draw families as well as regular shoppers.

The market’s South Valley roots go back to 2015, when South Valley MainStreet and Bernalillo County established it as the Gateway Growers Market. After the community gained full control and leadership, it was renamed La Familia Growers Market in homage to the former La Familia Grocery Store that once stood at the same location.

Dolores Huerta Gateway Park has become central to that identity. New Mexico MainStreet describes it as an important gathering space and a key placemaking site for La Familia Growers Market and other community events. Bernalillo County and partners celebrated the renovated park in December 2024 after a nearly five-year process of planning, design and construction, and county records say the project has received more than $2.1 million in public funding.

The county approved another $184,818 in April 2026 to help complete Phase 3 improvements, after nearly $720,000 was already available for that work. Earlier phases added pedestrian and vendor circulation, shade structures and lighting, while the broader renovation also planned seating, parking and a gateway-stage area. Bernalillo County Vice-Chair Frank Baca said the park has become a “jewel” in the South Valley, underscoring how the market now sits at the center of neighborhood commerce, food access and public space.