Field notes
- The Shed is open Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free to attend.
- Producers at The Shed come from within 400 miles of Dallas.
- SNAP shoppers get matching tokens through Double Your Dollars.
The Dallas Farmers Market has been part of downtown since 1941. Today it has two halves: The Shed, an open-air weekend market of farmers and makers, and The Market, an indoor food hall open every day. Here is how to get the most out of both.
The Shed: weekends, rain or shine
The market describes The Shed, at 1010 S. Pearl Expressway, as the open-air heart of the Dallas Farmers Market. More than 100 local producers set up every Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine, year-round. Admission is free. Producers come from within 400 miles of Dallas: farmers, ranchers raising heritage breeds, bakers and craftspeople.
| Day | Hours at The Shed |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Sunday | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Monday to Friday | Closed; The Market food hall is open daily |
What you will find
- Seasonal fruits and vegetables, often harvested days or hours before market.
- Herbs, vegetable starts and native Texas plants.
- Raw honey, preserves, pickles and fermented foods.
- Pasture-raised eggs and farmstead cheeses.
- Naturally leavened bread and baked goods.
- Beef, pork, lamb and poultry from local ranchers.
- Cut flowers from local flower farmers.
- Pottery, textiles and woodwork.
Tip: The market says to arrive early on Saturdays for the best selection; flowers in particular sell out early.
The Market: the food hall
Next to The Shed, The Market at 920 S. Harwood Street is a 26,000-square-foot food hall and artisanal vendor market with four anchor restaurants, specialty food vendors and seating inside and out. It is open Monday through Sunday, year-round, and the market notes that weekday visitors are missing half of what it offers if they only come on weekends. Many vendors run weekday happy hours.
SNAP and Double Your Dollars
The Shed accepts SNAP/EBT benefits. Through the Double Your Dollars program, SNAP shoppers receive matching tokens: spend $10 in SNAP benefits and receive $10 in market tokens for produce and food items. Ask at the information booth.
Helpful services
- Bag check: drop your bags at the information booth at The Shed and collect them when you are done.
- Locals Card: residents of the Harwood District and nearby neighborhoods can get discounts at participating vendors.
- Market Garden: a working demonstration garden with tours on market days.
- Weekly recipes built around what is in season at The Shed.
Seasonal events
Every October the market holds Dallas’ Original Pumpkin Day in The Shed, with more than 20 varieties of pumpkins, seasonal produce, live music and family activities; it is free for all ages. The fall pumpkin patch brings Texas-grown pumpkins from fields in Floydada, Texas. Watch the market’s site for other seasonal weekends.
Plan your visit
Bring a sturdy bag or two, cash for small vendors and a cooler in the car if you are buying meat, eggs or cheese in summer. Vendors are updated on the market’s map every Friday morning, so check it before you go if you are looking for something specific.
A market since 1941
The Dallas Farmers Market dates itself to 1941, and its mission today is to connect Texas-grown producers with the city. It invites anyone who grows or makes food within 400 miles of Dallas to apply as a vendor. That rule shapes what you find: the produce changes with the Texas seasons, so early summer brings the first harvests alongside year-round staples, and the selection in late fall looks very different from spring.
How to shop The Shed
Walk the whole Shed once before buying so you can compare what each stall has that day. Talk to the growers: the market describes every table as a direct connection between the person who grew or made something and the person taking it home. If you have questions about a vegetable you have never used, the market’s weekly recipes are built around whatever is in peak season.
Families can visit the DFM Market Garden, a working demonstration garden that grows seasonal produce and hosts educational events, with tours on market days. It is a good way to show children where food comes from before they help choose the week’s fruit.
Most shoppers come on Saturday morning, when the market says the selection is best. On Sunday The Shed opens an hour later, at 10 a.m., which suits a slower browse, a coffee in The Market and a look at the craft tables. Either way, the bag check at the information booth lets you shop without carrying everything around.
The market sits on the southeast side of downtown, close to the Arts District and Deep Ellum, so it pairs easily with a museum morning or an evening out; see Best Dallas Neighborhoods to Explore: Where to Start and What You Will Find. For more ideas that cost nothing, read Free Things to Do in Dallas: Museums, Parks, Trails and Markets That Cost Nothing, and for cooking ideas with your haul, the dishes in Dallas Tex-Mex and Taco Guide: The Dishes, Where They Come From and How to Order are a good start.