If you are looking for something new and fun to do in Murrieta you can stop by the Market Nights which take place in Old Town Murrieta every other Thursday from 5-9 P.M. The Market is a place where community members gather for a shopping experience of homemade and handmade gifts to share with family and friends. The market nights are a great way of bringing the community together.

At the market nights, you will find familiar faces as it is filled with community members and artists who have talents they want to share, on a weekly basis. The market nights are also a unique support system for many individuals who have booths.  

While touring around the market, many of the vendors discussed how they use the market as a way to help aid their mental health. A  booth that caught my eye is called, “Golden Pup Accessories‘ ‘run by a woman named Christian Pratt. This booth is filled with hundreds of bow ties and bandanas for your dog.  “I have insomnia so I just stay up all night and make these when I cannot sleep. I use that time to make all of these and come here every other Thursday just to get everything out of my house.” Stated Christian Pratt, owner of Golden Pup Accessories booth.  Mental health is very important to take care of, and starting a small business is a great way of doing that.

Speaking of entrepreneurship, the market night is a great way to start up a small business, just as some of the vendors I spoke with did. When I walked into the market I was greeted by a couple at a candle booth called, “NRVANA Candle Co.” I personally love candles so I decided to go in and smell a few. While in their booth, I noticed that all of the candles were aromatherapy candles designed to help with stress and anxiety. While talking with them, they discussed that it was their first time at the market and they are hoping to grow their small business by selling at markets just like this one and online on their website. Every candle is made and poured by hand. 

There was also another woman at the booth next to hers called, “SewSassy”. The woman named Kathy sews children’s costumes and aprons. While talking with Kathy she stated  that she “loves coming here and selling and I can only come here once a month because it takes me so long to finish a piece.” 

The entrepreneur that really caught the attention of everyone at the market that night was seventeen-year-old Ruby, her business is called “Oak & Willow Soap Co.” Ruby sells her own handmade goat milk soap, which she uses her own goat named Juliet for the milk, and her own garden for the lavender and other scents she uses in her soaps. The young girl is trying to raise money for college by selling her handmade gorgeous soaps.

It is amazing to think that a young girl has started this whole business by herself with only the help of her parents and little sister. The thing that elevated her booth to the next level was her little sister walking through the crowd selling flowers and getting people to come and buy soap. It was so intriguing that I even indulged and bought one of her lavender soaps.

The market night was an amazing way to bring the community together, but it is also an amazing way to bring families together. The booth called, “Majestik Kulture” is a family-run business, run primarily by the two parents, but the kids take part in helping. Kiki and Dre are the founders of the company and they have three children that help make all of their scent oils. While at the booth, Dre states, “My wife does all of the wirings for the rings, and I do all the beading and jeweling for them, while my daughters make the scent oils.” Then, Kiki stated that all of the scented oil is made with avocado oil mixed with other natural oils and that it is different from other scent oils because the bottle is also a crystal. 

The market night was an amazing experience filled with many talented vendors and street performers. It had food vendors as well as vendors of random products. There was not a frown in sight the entire time I was there. I definitely shopped till I dropped and bought way too much, but it is hard not to when the vendors are so nice and have worked so hard to be there. So, if you are looking for something to do, definitely stop by Old Town Murrieta every other Thursday for a night full of fun.

To learn more about Market Nights visit the link here to see the dates, times, and prices of future market nights to come.