Main Street Market in downtown Conroe ends following city's new policies and event fee hike

Organizer seeks clarification on changes as weekly market featuring local vendors and artisans holds its final run

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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After five years in downtown Conroe, the Main Street Market featuring local vendors and artisans has held its final run on Saturday. The market's organizer, Farralyn Withrow, announced the end of the market in late January due to the city of Conroe raising fees for events. Withrow has been in communication with city officials seeking more information on the changes, but there's been no indication the market will return at this time.

Why it matters

The Main Street Market was more than just a weekly event, serving as a tight-knit community and a starting place for over 100 new businesses in downtown Conroe. Its closure represents a loss of a key part of the downtown ecosystem that supported local vendors and fostered entrepreneurship.

The details

In a 4-1 vote, the Conroe City Council approved a new fee schedule for events, initially raising the fee to $1,300 before lowering it to $500 after revisiting the issue. In addition to the fee change, the city also requires event hosts to cover the cost of police officers, have insurance coverage for emergencies, and protect the city from liability. The new permit guidelines also require applications to be submitted six months prior to an event for staff review.

  • The Main Street Market started in the juror parking lot in downtown Conroe and was most recently held on Thompson Street in front of the Montgomery County Courthouse.
  • The weekly Main Street Market had been running for five years before its final run on Saturday, February 8, 2026.

The players

Farralyn Withrow

The organizer of the Main Street Market who announced the end of the market in late January 2026 due to the city's new event fees and policies.

Howard Wood

The Conroe Mayor Pro Tem who was the lone nay vote on the city council's 4-1 decision to approve the new fee schedule.

Conroe City Council

The city governing body that voted 4-1 to approve the new fee schedule and event policies that led to the end of the Main Street Market.

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What they’re saying

“This has always been more than a market; it's been a tight-knit community and the starting place for 100-plus new businesses. It's been a major part of the ecosystem that is downtown Conroe.”

— Main Street Market (Facebook post)

What’s next

Withrow is still seeking clarification from city officials on the changes to the event fees and policies, but there has been no indication that the Main Street Market will return at this time.

The takeaway

The closure of the Main Street Market highlights the challenges that small businesses and community-driven events can face when local governments make policy changes that increase the costs and administrative burdens of hosting public events. This raises questions about the balance between municipal regulations and supporting a vibrant downtown ecosystem.