Palm Desert Called Off Its Search for a Weekly Farmers Market. Here's Where Sunday Produce Comes From This Season.
October 22, 2026
October 22, 2026
This Sunday morning, Nov. 1, vendor tents will go up on the center lawn and upper deck in front of Saks Fifth Avenue at The Gardens on El Paseo. They will stay from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and sell artisan foods and handcrafted goods. There will also be a bouquet arrangement bar, with Sottovoce Cafe a few steps away for coffee. This is The Rare Market, and it is now the only certified farmers market in Palm Desert on California's statewide register.
The Gardens has announced six Sundays for it, and four of them are left. In the other weeks, a produce run from Palm Desert means driving to another city.
On July 9, 2026, the City of Palm Desert released a request for proposals, Project ID 2026-RFP-048, for "Farmers Market Operations and Management Services." NBC Palm Springs reported that the city wanted a new community gathering place with fresh produce, local flavors, and room for vendors and shoppers to meet.
The proposal laid out a fairly specific market:
The deadline was later moved to Aug. 7. Then, on Oct. 7, the city posted a notice on its procurement portal canceling the request. It said it "has elected not to move forward with the Farmers Market Operator project," thanked the respondents, and gave no reason. No operator was chosen, and no day or start date was set. That means no weekly market at the Aquatic Center this October, even though October is when the proposal had it starting.
The city went looking for an operator because the market residents remember is gone from the state's list. For years, the Original Palm Desert Certified Farmers Market met at Entrada del Paseo, in front of the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce at 72-559 Highway 111, and the Palm Springs Cultural Center ran it. Discover Palm Desert described it as a Sunday market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the 2022–2023 season.
When that season opened on Oct. 2, 2022, The Desert Sun quoted Councilmember Karina Quintanilla. She called the market "an asset to our city" and praised the "access and affordability" it offered through the Market Match program.
The Original market is not on the California Department of Food and Agriculture's register of certified farmers markets dated Oct. 1, 2026. Riverside County's agricultural commissioner still lists it on Sundays from October through April at the Highway 111 address. Treat that county listing as out of date until a new season is announced.
The Rare Market fills part of that gap, by design and on a schedule. Owners Nelly Ayala and Jose Tornez chose The Gardens as their first desert location. In an El Paseo Catalogue feature, Tornez described the goal as "a more elevated farmers market experience." In the same piece, Deja Kreutzberg of The Gardens explained how the center chose a partner:
"We wanted something focused on quality handmade products and experiences that add value for our guests while encouraging them to stroll the property."
The center's event page promises more than 40 curated local vendors selling artisanal food, fresh produce, specialty goods, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle items. Two of its six dates, Oct. 4 and Oct. 18, have already passed. These are the four left, all 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
The state register lists the Rare Market as year-round on Sundays. The Gardens has announced only the six dates above, so plan around those. No Rare Market date has been announced for Nov. 15, Nov. 22, or Nov. 29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
The 10 a.m. start is late by farmers market standards, and the old Chamber market was already winding down by then. It suits a coffee first. Sottovoce Cafe at The Gardens opens at 7 a.m. on Sundays. Before the first market, NBC Palm Springs quoted a cafe representative who hoped the market and the shops around it would trade with each other: "If they bring something new to us, maybe we can acquire it from them."
Palm Desert's neighbors still run weekly markets, and the state register puts them on different days. Because of that spread, there is a market every week, including the weeks with no announced date at The Gardens. All four are a short drive from Palm Desert. Days, hours, and seasons below come from the CDFA register dated Oct. 1, 2026:
| Market | Address | Day | Hours | Season listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Wells Certified Farmer's Market | 44-175 Washington Street, Indian Wells | Thursday | 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Oct. 22 to May 31 |
| Rancho Mirage Certified Farmer's Market | 71560 San Jacinto Drive, Rancho Mirage | Friday | 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Late October to May 30 |
| Palm Springs Certified Farmers Market | 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs | Saturday | 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. | January to May |
| Old Town La Quinta Certified Farmer's Market | 78100 Main Street, La Quinta | Sunday | 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Oct. 25 to May 31 |
| The Rare Market | 73-545 El Paseo, Palm Desert | Sunday | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Select Sundays through Dec. 13 |
Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage hold their markets on weekdays, so they suit residents who shop before the weekend. On Sundays, two markets overlap. La Quinta's opens two hours earlier and runs weekly. The Rare Market opens later on its six Sundays and leans toward makers and gifts, alongside produce.
For November, a workable plan looks like this:
The Palm Springs Saturday market doesn't start until January, so it isn't an option until the new year.
The first Sunday in November is a good day to be at The Gardens for more than produce. Tickets for two of the center's seasonal events go on sale Nov. 1, the same day as the market.
The Gardens also plans to put up its holiday lighting and seasonal decor in early November, so the Nov. 8 market will likely have the center partly or fully decorated. The Dec. 6 market falls the day after Santa Magic. That gives the year's last two Rare Market Sundays a holiday-shopping feel, with bouquets and handmade goods sold on the same lawn where Santa was the day before.
At Joint Luxury Group, we look up these schedules for our own weekends, from where the Sunday tents go up to the Thursday market just over the line in Indian Wells. If a new weekly market is announced, or you'd like local suggestions for a Palm Desert Sunday morning, let's connect.
As a dedicated Real Estate Agent, Joseph has seamlessly integrated into the local market, establishing himself as a go-to professional for all Real Estate needs. Whether buying, selling, or investing, Joseph is the trusted ally you can rely on for all your Real Estate endeavors.