October 15, 2026
"Streets to fill with vendors, new shoppers to welcome, and new traditions to create." That is how the organizers of the Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival described downtown Commerce when they announced the move in March, according to AccessNorthGA.
Seven months later, Commerce has taken them at their word. The market now runs as Art-Tiques Vintage Market, and it is no longer a single visiting festival. It now has a recurring place on the downtown calendar, and the closures for it were requested months ahead. The next one comes the weekend of October 24 and 25, and the planned closures change how State Street works from Friday morning until Sunday night.
According to the organizers' own history, the festival started in Braselton in 2003 with 30 vendors. Over the years it grew to nearly 350 vendors and 14 food trucks. Donna and Peggy Cannella run it, and they also own Countryside Antiques. That store is staying put in downtown Braselton.
Donna Cannella told AccessWDUN that Braselton had added new requirements for downtown events, as AccessNorthGA reported. She said the changes raised the organizers' costs and made the logistics harder. Vendor parking for an event with more than 250 vendors would be limited. Booths would no longer be allowed on some streets they had used before. Some costs the town used to share would now fall on the organizers. Braselton hasn't lost the event completely. The 2026 schedule still lists a one-day July 4 market there, advertised at 50 vendors.
The first Commerce market ran April 25 and 26 along the State Street corridor. At the Downtown Development Authority's April 27 meeting, Jessica Greene, the city's facilities and tourism coordinator, called it a "huge success," MainStreetNews reported. "Downtown was super busy, active, full of life," she said, and she added that neither vendors nor visitors had complained.
Natalie Thomas, the Main Street and Downtown Development director, explained what worked in the same report. Vendors liked setting up on pavement. Shoppers liked that the market was contiguous and "together" in one compact area. Visitors praised the parking. She also said the shuttle from the Lanier Technical College lot worked well. Downtown merchants told the city they "did great with their business sales." That feedback was verbal, and Thomas said a formal merchant survey would follow.
Three weeks later, the DDA asked City Council to approve street and venue closures for the rest of the 2026 dates. The request is item one on the May 18, 2026 council agenda.
| 2026 market weekend | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| April 25–26 | First Commerce market, State Street corridor; DDA called it a success |
| June 27–28 | Paired with Summer in the City; preview listed 150+ vendors at the Commerce Civic Center and Spencer Park |
| August 22–23 | Listed in the May 18 closure request |
| October 24–25 | Listed in the May 18 closure request; organizers advertise about 250 vendors |
The June preview described a different layout, using the Civic Center and Spencer Park, with fireworks from Summer in the City on Saturday night. For October, the market goes back to the street layout that won the April praise.
The October market runs Saturday, October 24 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., centered on 110 State St. The closures run much longer than the shopping hours. Under the plan the council considered in May:
If State Street is part of your usual Friday errands or drive home, the planned closure starts a full day before the first booth opens. The agenda doesn't say whether the Cherry Street and State Street lots will be closed in October, so check the city's notices before you count on your usual downtown spot.
Admission and parking are free. The organizers say there is parking onsite and in public lots. They also run a free shuttle from Lanier Technical College on Elm Street, the same setup Thomas credited after April.
If you're coming from the north end of town, the Lanier Tech lot is the easy option. It avoids the closed blocks completely and drops you at a market laid out in one compact area. If you live within walking distance of downtown, walking skips the parking question altogether.
Organizers advertise around 250 vendors. The mix includes woodworkers, metal and resin artists, jewelers, potters, candle and soap makers, and antiques dealers. There will also be 10 food vendors, a food-truck lineup and light, easy-listening live music. The October listing doesn't include a booth map, and no October pet policy has been posted. Check the organizer's page before bringing a dog.
One more downtown rule to check: Commerce's entertainment district, which allows to-go drinks in approved cups, launched in September 2025 and has its own hours and cup rules. The draft ordinance lets City Council exempt specific events. Before you assume a to-go cup is allowed during the market, read the city's entertainment district page.
April's merchant feedback is the reason the city wants this weekend, so the storefronts around the closed blocks are part of the plan. The city's downtown dining directory lists Cherry Street Nutrition at 225 Cherry Street, Commerce Drug Lunch Counter at 1751 North Elm Street, and Italy's Pizza and Pasta Co. at 1805 North Elm Street. The shopping directory puts Nerd U Comics and Collectibles at 55 State Street, right on the market route, and lists Liv Freely Organics at 65 Pine Avenue. Neither directory is dated, so call ahead to confirm weekend hours.
Jersey Jay Bagels started serving on September 8, and its pickup base is 294 Shankle Heights. An October 2026 county roundup lists it as open for preorder pickup Tuesday through Thursday mornings and on Saturdays until sold out. A Saturday preorder there could come before a Saturday morning at the market.
Art-Tiques falls in a busy stretch of the city calendar:
The yard sale comes one weekend before the market, and the cleanup falls in between, so residents can clear out a garage early in the month and browse 250 vendors a week later. The city's calendar has also been planned around the market. In May, months ahead, the DDA asked for closures covering three weekends at once, and the October market is the last of those requested dates in 2026.
A weekend with State Street closed affects showings, parking and listing photos for any home a few blocks away. If you own near downtown and are thinking about selling, Nichole Pankevich can explain how she would time showings and photos around the city's event weekends and price your home against real downtown comps. Get a Free Seller Strategy.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
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