The Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market, operated by East Coast Marketplace, is celebrating its first anniversary after a year marked by learning, perseverance, and the creation of a community that continues to grow with every market day.
What began as a vision to create a welcoming gathering place for local entrepreneurs, residents, families, and visitors has gradually become a vibrant Sunday destination where small businesses can connect directly with the community and bring their products, stories, and dreams to life.
This milestone belongs specifically to the market at Margaret Pace Park—the place where, one year ago, East Coast Marketplace began building a weekly experience shaped by its vendors, visitors, team members, and the unique energy of this waterfront community.
The market’s growth did not happen overnight. It has been a gradual process, sustained by the consistent work of those who believed in the project and remained willing to learn from every Sunday, every challenge, and every interaction with the community.
Leading this journey is Lucia Marinelli, CEO and founder of East Coast Marketplace, who, together with Juan Penaloza and a dedicated operations, logistics, field, and communications team, has worked to make the Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market an organized, welcoming, and valuable experience for everyone involved.
A year outside the comfort zone, creating memorable stories
Building an outdoor market means constantly adapting to conditions that cannot always be controlled.
During its first year, the Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market experienced unexpected storms, rainy Sundays, intense summer heat, operational changes, and countless logistical challenges.
The East Coast Marketplace team also had to respond to vendors’ needs, understand the dynamics of the surrounding community, and make quick decisions to keep the market moving forward safely and effectively.
Behind every Sunday market were hours of planning, space coordination, layout reviews, vendor support, setup, safety procedures, communications, and problem-solving.
Much of that work began long before the first visitors arrived and ended only after the final booth had been taken down.
The evolution of the Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market cannot be measured solely by the number of vendors or visitors it has welcomed. It can also be seen in the experience gained, the processes strengthened, the relationships built, and the team’s growing ability to respond to every new challenge.
A team that grows with the market
As the Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market continued to develop, East Coast Marketplace also strengthened the team supporting its weekly operation.
Each person has contributed knowledge, energy, and commitment to assisting vendors, welcoming visitors, serving the community, and caring for the many details that allow the market to operate successfully.
Lucia Marinelli’s leadership, Juan Penaloza’s operational work, and the support of the logistics, field, and communications teams have been essential to sustaining an outdoor market that demands coordination, sensitivity, persistence, and adaptability.
The vendors have also been an important source of learning. Their feedback, needs, ideas, and experiences have helped identify opportunities for improvement and build a market that is more closely connected to the entrepreneurs who participate each week.
The Margaret Pace Park community has played an essential role as well. Every visit, purchase, recommendation, conversation, and sign of trust has helped the market continue moving forward.
The joy of reaching this milestone
A first anniversary is an opportunity to look back and recognize everything the year has held: the successes, the difficult moments, the complex decisions, and the small victories that shaped the journey.
It has been a year of challenges, but also of relationships built, opportunities created, lessons shared, and entrepreneurial dreams that found a welcoming place to grow.
East Coast Marketplace celebrates the first anniversary of its Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market with deep gratitude for the team that supports it, the vendors who placed their trust in the project, and the residents and visitors who embraced it as part of their Sunday routine.
There are still many opportunities ahead and new challenges to overcome. But every lesson learned at Margaret Pace Park has helped prepare the market for its next chapter.
After a year of persistent work, storms weathered, sunny Sundays enjoyed, and unforgettable experiences shared, the Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market celebrates the joy of reaching this milestone—and the certainty that the best is yet to come.
Join us for the celebration!
We are delighted to invite our vendors, neighbors, visitors, and friends to share our anniversary cake with us:
Sunday, November 8 · 3:00 p.m. · Margaret Pace Park
Come celebrate the first year of the Margaret Pace Park Farmers Market and the community that has made this journey possible.
Happy First Anniversary, Margaret Pace Park East Coasters!