LAist Listens: Childcare Edition at Atwater Farmers' Market

Most newsroom events happen behind a podium. This one happens next to the produce stalls. LAist, the nonprofit newsroom and home of the region's largest NPR station at 89.3 FM, is setting up a "LAist Listens" pop-up at the Atwater Village Farmers' Market, and this edition is all about childcare. If you are scanning for things to do in Los Angeles this Sunday that cost nothing and might actually shape local coverage, this is a good one.

When: Sunday, October 18, 2026, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM Where: Atwater Village Farmers' Market, 3528 Larga Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90039 Price: Free Hosted by: LAist

What LAist Listens is

LAist Listens is a roving, in-person project. Instead of waiting for readers to write in, reporters show up wherever people already gather: a coffee shop, a burger spot, a flea market, a farmers' market. The idea is simple. Journalists ask questions, listen to the answers, and carry what they hear back to the newsroom.

For this edition, the team has spent the past few months collecting stories and insights from parents and caregivers about childcare ahead of the election. Those conversations are meant to inform LAist's election news coverage, so the questions it asks of candidates reflect what families actually deal with.

What to expect

LAist journalists will be at the market between 9 AM and 2 PM to talk with visitors about candidates' stances on affordable childcare policy, in other words what they say they would do if elected. It is a drop-in format, so there is no program to follow and no need to arrive at a set time. Walk up, chat, and head back to your shopping.

There is also free swag while you talk. The photos from earlier LAist Listens stops show a table with markers, drawing paper and a spin-to-win prize wheel, which makes it an easy stop with kids in tow.

Planning your visit

Sunday farmers' markets get busier as the morning goes on, so if you want a quieter conversation, aim for the early part of the window. The pop-up is a nice add-on to a market run: grab groceries, take a loop around the stalls, then stop by the LAist booth. Parking in Atwater Village can be tight on market days, so allow a few extra minutes or come by bike or on foot if you live nearby.

If you are filling out a weekend plan, this pairs well with other LA events this weekend in the neighborhood, from coffee on Glendale Boulevard to a walk along the river. Browse more in our arts and culture listings, and check LAist's event page for any last-minute changes before you go.