"SEASON ENDED — RETURNING MAY 1, 2027." That line sits next to the Rockwall pickup spot on Lucido's Pasta & Italian Specialties order page. The Rockwall Farmers Market held its last 2026 Saturday on September 26. It runs May through September around the Historic Courthouse, from 8 a.m. to noon.
For most of the market's history, that was the end of it until spring. The market started in 2008 and now draws more than 45 vendors each season. This fall, downtown has a year-round home for those vendors. Two of the market's own sourdough bakers opened it a week after the last market day, and a short run of November and December events on and near the square fills in the rest of the calendar.
Two Market Bakers Opened a Shop on San Jacinto Plaza
Gathered by Uproot & Rise held its grand opening at 103 S. San Jacinto St. on Saturday, October 3, 2026. It sits in San Jacinto Plaza, a short walk from the square. More than 30 makers and small businesses stocked the shelves on opening day. The goods ran from baked goods and fresh flowers to candles, skincare, seasonings, pasta, jewelry and home décor.
The owners are Geneve "Gen" Du Plessis and Aubry Peterson. Both bake sourdough under their own labels. Gen runs Uprooted Journey Sourdough and is originally from South Africa. Aubry runs Crumble & Rise Sourdough and is originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. On the shop's site, they describe Gathered as two bakers who could have competed and chose to build a shared space instead. Their motto is "community over competition." The concept draws on the tuisnywerheid model, a home or cottage-industry marketplace where goods made by many people are sold under one roof.
The hours are what changes the calendar. Gathered is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed Sundays and Mondays. That adds up to 40 shopping hours a week. The farmers market offered four hours on one morning a week, for five months of the year.
The Market Names Behind the Shelves
The overlap with the farmers market is easy to trace. In her May 2026 roundup of the Rockwall Farmers Market, food blogger The Rose Table named Uprooted Journey's sourdough, Ebarb Sausage and The Vine Shack among that season's vendors. Crumble & Rise lists itself on its own site as "As seen at the Rockwall Farmer's Market." Lucido's used the market as a May-to-September pickup point at 101 E. Rusk St.
Several of those same names were part of Gathered's first weekend:
| Maker | What they make | Farmers market tie | At Gathered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uprooted Journey | Sourdough bread | 2026 market vendor | Co-owner Gen Du Plessis's bakery; bread samples on opening day |
| Crumble & Rise | Small-batch, naturally fermented baked goods | "As seen at" the market, per its site | Co-owner Aubry Peterson's bakery; cookies on opening day |
| Ebarb Sausage | Sausage, flavors named for family members | 2026 market vendor | Sausage samples on opening day |
| Lucido's | Fresh pasta, cannoli, olive oil | Market pickup location, May–September | Pasta, cannoli and olive oil on opening day |
| The Vine Shack | Flowers, vegetables, fall pumpkin stand | 2026 market vendor, with a build-your-own bouquet bar | A Gathered stockist |
Drip, a dirty soda bar, also served drinks at the grand opening, and the shop added a magician, face painting and pumpkin photo spots. Gathered's Instagram, @gatheredrockwall, introduces its makers in category posts. Recent ones covered apothecary goods, comfort items, savory foods and jewelry. It's the easiest way to check whether a favorite booth from the summer now has a shelf indoors.
Lucido's is a useful example for anyone who wants fresh pasta before spring. Its Rockwall pickup is paused until May 1, 2027. Its pickup at the McKinney Farmers Market, 315 S. Chestnut St., runs year-round from 8 a.m. to noon.
Three Saturdays Bring Outdoor Booths Back Before Christmas
Gathered covers the weekdays. The outdoor booths come back on three Saturdays between now and December, and two of them set up on the courthouse square itself.
- Saturday, November 7: 'Tis the Season Bazaar. First United Methodist Church holds its bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1200 E. Yellow Jacket Lane, with crafters and nearly 50 local vendors, according to Blue Ribbon News. This one is off the square.
- Saturday, November 14: Sheriff's Posse vendor booths. The Rockwall County Sheriff's Posse is setting up 10-by-10 booths around the Historic Rockwall County Courthouse from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It's recruiting local growers, ranchers, gourmet artisan food makers, artists and curators. Vendor fees help fund the Posse's scholarships for graduating Rockwall County seniors who took part in agriculture-related programs.
- Saturday, December 5: Hometown Christmas. The city's all-day event fills the square with a holiday market from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The November 14 hours overlap most of the farmers market's old 8-to-noon window, and the setup sits around the same courthouse. For one Saturday in mid-November, the square will look a lot like it did in summer.
December 5 Fills the Square From 9 a.m. to the 6:15 Tree Lighting
Hometown Christmas packs the parade, the festival and the tree lighting into one Saturday. The pieces fit together like this:
- 9 to 10:30 a.m.: The 57th annual Kiwanis Christmas Parade brings more than 100 floats along a 1.5-mile route from the Rockwall County Library on Yellowjacket Lane to Historic Downtown Rockwall. It goes on rain or shine, and streets on the route close while it runs. Float registration through the Rockwall Kiwanis is open until 5 p.m. on November 25, Blue Ribbon News reported.
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: The Hometown Christmas Festival on Rockwall Square. The holiday market is aimed at filling food baskets, with artisan chocolate, pecans, pound cakes, dips, jellies, jams and spices. Santa and the Grinch spend the day with their sleigh in San Jacinto Plaza, steps from Gathered's door. Kids' activities include bounce houses, a snow play area, slides, crafts and train rides.
- 5 to 7 p.m.: The 43rd annual Tree Lighting at the CityPlace City Hall campus across the street. The tree lights around 6:15 p.m. The Rockwall Women's League provides hot chocolate and holiday cookies, and there's one more chance for a photo with Santa.
Parking is available at The Center, 108 E. Washington St., at City Hall, 385 S. Goliad St., and in other public lots downtown. A free trolley runs from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. between the First Baptist youth parking lot at 710 S. Goliad St. and The Center. The trolley covers the whole day, from before the parade to after the tree lighting, so you can leave the car in one spot.
December 5 is a Saturday, and Gathered is open Saturdays from 10 to 6. That means the shop's hours overlap the festival from start to finish.
The Rest of the Square This Season
The Downtown Rockwall Association sponsors three annual shopping events: Spring Fling, Holiday Open House and Shop Small Saturday. The city's Main Street page doesn't list 2026 dates for the two holiday events yet, so the association's Facebook page is the place to watch. The same page sells Rockwall Downtown Dollars, an e-gift card good at participating downtown shops, restaurants, services and entertainment venues. It's an easy stocking stuffer that keeps the money on the square.
A few newer addresses round out a downtown afternoon. Agaveros, a Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant, is open at 101 N. Goliad St. One block east, at 206 E. Washington St., Blue Ribbon News introduced RB's Sound House & Art Collective in January. Founder Randy Aragon planned it as a recording studio, gallery and small venue for music, comedy, open mics, workshops and paint-and-sip nights. A Boha Tribe concert is listed there for Saturday, December 19. On Rusk Street, Lyla's Clothing & Gifts now operates from 114 E. Rusk St.
The Rockwall Farmers Market returns to the courthouse square in May. Lucido's has already said it will be back May 1, 2027. Until then, the Uprooted Journey loaf is at 103 S. San Jacinto St., Tuesday through Saturday.
Planning your holiday weekends around downtown Rockwall? The agents at Monument Realty TX know the square, the side streets and the Saturdays that matter here. Contact us whenever you'd like a local point of view on Rockwall, whether you're picking a parade spot or making a bigger plan.
