The Palestine Farmers Market Opens for its 5th Year After Pavilion Renovations Funded by a $75,000 PEDC Grant

The Palestine Farmers Market launched its fifth season in late March following renovations funded by the Palestine Economic Development Corporation. PEDC approved a $75,000 community development grant to the Dogwood Arts Council to renovate and repair the pavilion in the Main Street District.

“Working with PEDC was fabulous,” says Mary Jean Mollard, Treasurer at the Dogwood Arts Council, Inc. “I know this is a small project in the realm of what they do, but they were very supportive of us and our timing.”  

The Council was seeking a new location for its annual art show in March, and PEDC helped it leverage donations and the grant to improve the pavilion, leaving an improved building for everyone to enjoy. The Art Show debuted the pavilion’s new look and was an overwhelming success for both visitors to the event and the vendors. Because of the working relationship and shared vision of DAC and PEDC, the entire community will benefit for many years to come.

The new pavilion will be available for use throughout the year by countless groups in the area. This joint effort between the Dogwood Arts Council and the PEDC will elevate the quality of life in Palestine, Texas, and support local farmers, entrepreneurs, and artists in the region. 

The Farmers Market Pavillion Underwent a Total Renovation 

At best, the pavilion before the renovations was inconvenient to use. It had poor lighting, limited protection from the elements, and nearly unusable electrical systems. At worst, the pavilion was a safety hazard with cracked asphalt that caused visitors and vendors to trip. The PEDC grant allowed the Council to make essential repairs so the pavilion was usable for their art event, while also investing in much-needed upgrades that benefited the already existing farmers market. Here are the key components of the project. 

• Interior and exterior lighting improvements: there is better lighting inside, while the exterior lighting additions deter loitering. 
• Added electrical plugs: more vendors can use the plugs during the farmers market and there are enough outlets to support live music performances. 
• New fans: vendors and visitors can stay cool with the addition of fans under the pavilion. 
• Improved roofing and gutters: the roof will no longer leak, and the replacement gutters will effectively move water away from the pavilion. 
• Replacement asphalt and sidewalks: there are now safe, even surfaces for people to navigate the pavilion. 
• Rods for hanging tarps: the pavilion is now protected from the elements because the Council can hang tarps to keep out the wind and rain, especially for sensitive projects like art shows.
• Food truck plugs and spigots: there is room for eight food trucks to plug in, eliminating the need for them to use generators that were noisy during events. The water spigots also make food preparation and cleanup easier.  

“We could not have done this without the grant,” says April Shaner, Manager of the Palestine Farmers Market. “I don’t know if all of the lighting upgrades alone could have been done without it.”

Along with the $75,000 PEDC community development grant, the Dogwood Arts Council, Inc. (a 501C3) will have collected and donated $52,000 + from the community for renovation.  

Palestine Packed the Farmers Market Opening Day 

The improvement project hasn’t gone unnoticed by the local community, and residents were excited to attend the farmers market on its first day of the season on Saturday, March 29. More than 1,000 people attended the market on Opening Day and were in awe of the impact the upgrades made. Shaner says she also had 52 returning vendors and couldn’t open up applications for new vendors until after the opening weekend.

The farmers market is entering its fifth season under the management of the Shaners, who were put to work in 2021 after having their proposal accepted by PEDC and approved by the City Council. Shaner started working with and participating in farmers' markets with her cottage bakery while living in the DFW area before relocating to Palestine in 2019. She felt inspired by the pavilion and welcomed the stability and shade offered by a permanent structure.

Shaner stepped back from baking and selling bread in 2022 in order to focus even more efforts on running the farmers market because it had been met with such huge success. In its five years, it has grown into a community resource where homesteaders can connect and ask questions about growing crops, local farmers can sell their wares, and crafters can develop new businesses. Everything sold at the market is grown within 100 miles of Palestine, and the weekends during the market season are often packed with live music, activities, food trucks, and opportunities for community involvement.  

Shaner says she was awed by the community support for the pavilion renovations, and it has been both a learning and inspiring experience.

“All I did was talk about all I wanted to see for the market, what I thought would work to improve it for vendors and customers,” she says. “It’s overwhelming to stand there on Opening Day and see all of these improvements because someone believed in me and my vision. It’s so humbling.” 

Visit the Palestine Farmers Market to Explore the New Pavilion

Residents and visitors to Palestine can attend the farmers market every Saturday from March 29 to Dec 6, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 813 W. Spring St. Shaner and her husband run the market and take applications for vendors throughout the year. Shaner would also like to thank Mary Ann Admire, Main Street Coordinator for the City of Palestine, for her help and support.  

Residents can also get involved with the Dogwood Arts Council to meet local artists and explore their own creative sides. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive to moving the Dogwood Arts Festival to the pavilion instead of renting a tent.

“Our artists loved it,” says Mollard. “There was plenty of room. It was like a whole new place,” 

Learn About Other Projects Funded by PEDC 

PEDC offers both downtown improvement grants and community development grants for organizations in Palestine, Texas. Learn more about these grants and how to apply for them. You can also read stories about how these grants helped local businesses and keep up with other economic development news in the region.  

Palestine is a great place to live with passionate residents like Shaner and Mollard dedicating their time to make it better. Our job at PEDC is to help more businesses and future residents discover everything it has to offer. Learn more about life in Palestine today.