Watch the short video on YouTube | Scenes from Santa Cruz Market

Question: Is it even considered a complete trip without a visit to Santa Cruz Market?

Answer: NO.

I don’t think there was ever a summer that I did not visit Jamaica as a kid. Apart from the obvious beach trips, I remember being most excited about going to the market on the weekends.

Why? Because it was such a unique experience for me and way more fun than the grocery stores, I was accustomed to. There was always such a variety of foods which I’ve always felt tasted much better.

I come from a big family, and when I was home during the school year, our weekly/monthly shopping trips in regard to groceries were really just all of us going to Costco and getting items in bulk. Ehh, I wasn’t a fan of a store with just shelves and large bulk items. Of course, that was just my perception as a kid. Although I won’t complain about the food samples. Those were always fun.

From time to time, there was always something interesting that would catch my eye. The pictures above are an example of that. I glanced a pink wall and had to go over to take a cute “aesthetic” picture.

I always enjoyed the colorful stalls and the friendly people.

Although there are quite a few fruits and vegetables that grow in the yard, my family relies heavily on the market to get their fruits and vegetables. Cabbage, carrots, string beans, pineapples and sweet sop (currently in season) are some of their more frequently bought produce.

From what I know, my family has been shopping here since the late 1950’s. When I asked about the changes, I was told that it used to be in a more confined area but over the years has spread outside the market house.

According to my mom, before they started visiting Santa Cruz Market, they would buy their foods from people who came down from Trelawny on buggies lit with lanterns underneath. They went from village to village with their “food ladened buggies” and provided groceries for those looking to buy.

I’ve visited a few other markets over the years, but Santa Cruz Market will always be my favorite.

Lastly, we ended our visit with a stop at the meat market.