"Right now, if we want to do any events, we have to close the street, which is not always conducive to the atmosphere of outdoor events." That's how Kristi Trevarrow, executive director of the Rochester Downtown Development Authority, explained the problem to The Detroit News in September.
For 27 seasons, every downtown Rochester event has dealt with that problem. The farmers' market sits on a parking lot at Third and Water. It runs Saturdays from May through October, and then the vendors leave until spring. This winter, they stay. Market + The Graham is the DDA's new barn-style building at 265 E. Second Street. It gives downtown an indoor room for the first time, and the winter calendar is now arranged around it.
Saturday, October 31 Is the Last Outdoor Market. It Isn't the Last Market.
Two days from now, the outdoor market holds its final Saturday of 2026, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. In past years, that was the end until May. This year there's a four-week gap, and then the Saturday Market at The Graham opens November 28.
The DDA board approved a schedule that runs from November 28, 2026 through April 24, 2027. It skips only December 26. That works out to 21 indoor Saturdays before the outdoor season returns on May 1, 2027.
| Stretch | Location | Dates | Saturdays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor market, 2026 | Corner of E. Third and Water | May through Oct. 31, closed Fourth of July | Ends this weekend |
| No market | None | Nov. 7 through Nov. 21 | 3 |
| Saturday Market at The Graham | 265 E. Second Street | Nov. 28, 2026 through April 24, 2027, no Dec. 26 | 21 |
| Outdoor market, 2027 | Corner of E. Third and Water | Begins May 1, 2027 | Season opens |
The DDA has posted 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. as the hours for the May-through-October market only. The winter market's hours haven't been posted yet, so check the DDA's farmers' market page before the first indoor Saturday. That page also says the Saturday Market at The Graham is sold out for the season, which refers to vendor spaces.
How Much Market Fits Indoors
Demand for indoor spaces showed up before construction was even done. The Graham holds 22 vendors, each in an 8-by-8-foot space. In August, a DDA survey of current market vendors found 13 interested in a full winter season, four in a half season, and ten in select dates. That's 27 vendors asking about 22 spaces.
The DDA priced the indoor spaces a little above the outdoor ones, according to the board's August minutes:
- Daily: $40 at The Graham, compared with $30 at the current market
- Half season: $275, compared with $250
- Full season: $450, compared with $400
One vendor going indoors has already been named. Barbara Marriner, owner of The Cheese Lady in Rochester, told The Detroit News she's looking forward to the grand opening so she can keep selling through the winter. "It's a great opportunity, and we're excited about it," she said. Michigan EBT and Double Up Food Bucks are accepted at the market today, according to the DDA.
What the Building Is
The Graham looks like a barn from the outside. It has 4,500 square feet of vendor space plus 1,000 square feet of restrooms that serve both the building and the outdoor market next door. It took over the former Animal Emergency Center building. On the DDA's project page, the plans call for a performance stage, expanded indoor and outdoor market space, accessible facilities, seating, and landscaping.
The project cost $4.4 million in total. American Rescue Plan Act money, distributed through Oakland County's Main Street program, covers $931,000. DDA property-tax capture pays for the rest, and Trevarrow told The Detroit News the DDA saved for more than four years to fund it. The idea itself came from two DDA community visioning sessions. At both, an improved farmers' market and more downtown gathering space were top requests.
The name honors the Graham family. James Graham settled in what is now Rochester and Rochester Hills in 1817, and The Detroit News notes, citing the Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce, that it was the first settlement in Oakland County. DDA minutes set the "Graham 1817" stone in place on August 20. The DDA board also accepted an offer from the Rochester Pollinators to plant and fund a pollinator garden on site. Inside, the building will display photos, artifacts, and farm implements from Rochester's farming history.
A note on parking. The Third and Water lot stays open for parking on non-event days, per the DDA.
The Holiday Calendar Moves Indoors First
The building's first big public weekend comes a week before its market opens. The Downtown Rochester Festival of Trees is moving to The Graham this year. It's a three-day display of trees, wreaths, and centerpieces designed and donated by people across Metro Detroit, and all proceeds go to The Big, Bright Light Show.
- Preview party: Friday, November 20, at 7 p.m., with a strolling dinner, silent auction, cash bar, and first pick of the items
- Free public days: Saturday, November 21, from 10 a.m., and Sunday, November 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The DDA lists two different Saturday closing times. The Festival of Trees page says 8 p.m., and the DDA's event calendar entry says 5 p.m., so confirm before you plan an evening visit. The Sunday listing also includes visits with Santa and a children's craft.
Here is the full downtown holiday calendar in order, with The Graham's two dates in it:
- Holiday Expo, Monday, November 9, 5 to 7:30 p.m. More than 60 vendors, door prizes, and free admission.
- Festival of Trees at The Graham, November 20 to 22.
- Lagniappe, Monday, November 23, 6 to 9 p.m. It marks its 53rd year and kicks off the light show.
- The Big, Bright Light Show, lit every evening from 5 p.m. to midnight through January 17, 2027, with more than 1.5 million points of light on downtown buildings.
- Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday, November 27 and 28, both listed 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday Market at The Graham opens, November 28, the same day as Small Business Saturday.
- Kris Kringle Market, Friday, December 4, 4 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, December 5, noon to 10 p.m.
- Rochester Area Hometown Christmas Parade, Sunday, December 6, at 2 p.m., on its usual first Sunday of December, per the Rochester Regional Chamber.
- Downtown Cookie Stroll, Saturday, December 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pre-registration is required for the official cookie tin.
On November 28, the indoor market's first Saturday falls on Small Business Saturday, with the light show on that evening.
The lights season also matters to the businesses around The Graham. "During the lights is actually our busiest season for Rochester," George Saigh, manager of Rochester Mills Beer Company, told WDIV Local 4 in August.
Main Street Is Adding to the Season Too
The other new spot for a winter evening downtown is a few blocks south on Main. Harrison's Restaurant and Wine Bar opened at 401 S. Main Street, in the former D'Marco's space at Fourth and Main. WXYZ reports it's run by Glenn Wilhelm, who also operates The Roxy. The Detroit Free Press describes a menu of Italian specialties, beef entrees, burgers, and wood-fired pizza with a wine list, plus a 4 to 6 p.m. happy hour at the bar Tuesday through Friday.
Downtown's social district is still pending. City Council approved the ordinance 6 to 1 in August, C&G Newspapers reported, and the state approved the city-level district. Each bar or restaurant still needs its own permit. At the September 14 council meeting, 12 licensed establishments were cleared to apply to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, and each one still has to pass an MLCC inspection before a license is issued. WDIV reported a goal of launching "sometime around November." No launch date has been set.
C&G lists the planned commons area as Main Street from Second Street to the Paint Creek bridge. It also includes East Second, Third, and Fourth from Main to Water, and West Second, Third, and Fourth from Main to Walnut. The Graham sits on East Second, inside those boundaries. According to the city's published ordinance notice, drinks must be in non-glass containers of 16 ounces or less. Each container has to show the business's own name or logo plus a separate mark for the commons area, and a patron can buy no more than two drinks from a business at a time. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the ordinance text and the posted rules once the district actually opens.
If you're mapping out your Saturdays downtown this winter, or you're wondering what a year-round market a few blocks from your door means for your home's value, Joseph Sinishtaj and the Showtime Realty team work in Rochester every week. Schedule a consultation, and we'll go over what's changing around your street.
