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Tag: Placer County

The Historic Fruit Exchange Building in Downtown Colfax California hosting the Colfax Bazaar vintage and artisan market

The Colfax Bazaar Is Back on March 21st!

How a 113-Year-Old Building, a Scrappy Nonprofit, and an SFGate Feature Just Changed the Game for Downtown Colfax

Some partnerships just make sense.

The Historic Fruit Exchange Building has been standing on Main Street since 1910. It was built at the peak of Colfax’s agricultural boom — when Sierra foothill orchards were producing thousands of crates of apples, pears, and peaches every year, and the Southern Pacific Railroad was shipping them to San Francisco and Sacramento markets. Growers, packers, and railroad workers moved through these doors daily. This building wasn’t on the sidelines of Colfax history. It was the center of it.

Then the industry shifted. Refrigeration changed everything. The Central Valley took over distribution. The orchards went quiet. The building that once buzzed with commerce sat largely dormant — while thousands of cars rolled past it every day on I-80 without knowing what they were passing.

That last part is changing.

It started with a conversation. Building owner Todd Saylor had a vision for an event — something that would give people a reason to get off the highway and walk through those historic doors again. He brought that idea to the Historic Colfax Downtown Association. Together, we built it from the ground up.

On Saturday, March 21st, that partnership throws open the doors again for the next installment of The Colfax Bazaar. It’s a vintage and artisan market, a community gathering, and a statement all at once. A statement that says: Colfax is a destination now.

SFGate agrees.

When SFGate Comes Calling

On February 4th, SFGate published a feature on Colfax: “Priced out of Tahoe, young transplants are turning to this foothills town.” By February 5th, our phones were ringing.

Here’s what matters most to us: they mentioned The Colfax Bazaar by name.

SFGate described our Bazaar as “a vibrant marketplace filled with antiques, oddities, handcrafted goods, and local flavor.”

Not a small-town footnote. Not a passing mention. A feature in one of the Bay Area’s most widely-read regional publications describing something we built from scratch — in a town of 2,200 people, inside a 113-year-old building — as vibrant.

This is what happens when you do the work.

The SFGate piece wasn’t really about us. It was about the people who make Colfax what it is. They talked to Eva Saunders, born and raised here, who works at Il Pizzaiolo and TJ’s Roadhouse — two of the local businesses we’re proud to call neighbors on Main Street. She told the reporter something every one of us already knows: “You drive two hours and you’re at the beach. Drive an hour and you’re at Tahoe.”

They interviewed transplants who chose Colfax deliberately. People who wanted more trees than people. Who appreciated that there’s not a single stoplight in town. Neighbors who told the reporter: “Everybody’s just mellow and sweet. And everyone waves to each other.”

That’s the Colfax we’re fighting for. That’s the story SFGate found when they came here — because partnerships like ours with Todd Saylor and the Fruit Exchange gave them something to find.

A Building Built for Commerce. Built for Community.

To understand why this partnership matters to us, you have to understand what the Fruit Exchange Building actually is.

Colfax’s agricultural story didn’t start with the building. It started in 1850, when pioneer Enos Mendenhall planted one of the first fruit orchards in the region. The Sierra Foothills’ elevation, mild summers, and rich soil turned out to be ideal for apples, pears, peaches, and grapes. While Gold Rush miners were chasing metal in the canyons below, farmers were quietly discovering that the land itself was the real treasure.

By the late 1800s, orchards were flourishing across the foothills. The Colfax Fruit Growers Association formed to help farmers organize, inspect, pack, and ship their harvests. The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad had already transformed Colfax from a stopover town into a strategic shipping hub. By the 1920s, Colfax was exporting thousands of crates of fruit every year, bound for markets across California.

The Fruit Exchange Building was the nerve center of all of it. Growers brought their harvests here. Packers prepared them for shipment. The Southern Pacific line, just steps away, carried them west. In 1926, Colfax became one of only 23 icing locations in the Pacific Fruit Express network — a massive operation that kept refrigerated railcars cold with blocks of ice cut from the Sierra snowpack.

Then, as it does, time moved on. Mechanical refrigeration made the icing platforms obsolete. Larger Central Valley operations took over distribution. The orchards sold off or went fallow. The building went quiet.

For decades it stood — architecturally intact, historically significant, and largely invisible to the tens of thousands of travelers passing it on I-80 every single day.

This is exactly the kind of story we were created to tell. And exactly the kind of space we were created to bring back to life.

What This Partnership Means for Our Community

The Historic Colfax Downtown Association was founded on the belief that our town — with its rich, layered history involving Nisenan Maidu people, Gold Rush miners, Chinese railroad laborers, and agricultural pioneers who fed a state — deserves to be known for more than its off-ramp.

The Bazaar is our proof of concept. Our previous events drew 400 to 500 visitors to downtown Colfax. Local businesses reported doubled and tripled sales on event days. The social media post about the SFGate coverage exploded — people shared it, planned visits, and some started asking about neighborhoods and schools. About making Colfax home.

When we activate a historic building, we don’t just fill it with vendors for a day. We remind our community of what it’s capable of. We give visitors a reason to stop. We start writing the next chapter of a story that’s been paused for too long.

That’s what we’re doing here. One conversation, one partnership, one event at a time.

Who’s Coming to the Hunt

This month’s Bazaar features one of the most eclectic vendor lineups we’ve ever assembled. These aren’t franchise booths or big-box overflow. These are makers, collectors, and creatives from across the region who chose Colfax — and we’re proud to have every single one of them.

You’ll find:

  • Handmade wood items, kitchen gadgets, decorative bowls and vases
  • Handcrafted jewelry made from vintage knitting needles
  • Metal yard art: upcycled tank bells, valve flowers, and figurines
  • Vintage and antique clothing, leather bags, shoes, and textiles
  • Acrylic paintings, mixed media art, and large canvas works
  • Unique mini crystal fairy gardens and one-of-a-kind character garden kits
  • Hand-illustrated nature-inspired stationery, prints, totes, and drinkware
  • Chainsaw carvings and wood-crafted items
  • Woodturner items: bowls, spin tops, vases, and platters
  • Custom drinkware, home décor, and farmhouse seasonal finds
  • Vintage collectibles, antiques, MCM finds, and barn-fresh treasures
  • Mountain and floral handcrafted wood art made from Sierra wildfire-reclaimed wood
  • Handmade flower arrangements, wreaths, and greeting cards
  • Antique furniture, vintage artwork, and the wonderfully weird — oddities and curiosities that defy description
  • And much more — from apothecary herb starts to upcycled denim art

Every single one of these vendors chose to come here. To set up on our Historic Colfax District, beneath the eaves of a building that once shipped fruit to half of California, in a town that SFGate just told the Bay Area is worth the drive. We think they made a great choice.

Mark Your Map

WHERE: Historic Fruit Exchange Building, Downtown Colfax, CA (229 Railroad Street, Colfax)
WHEN: Saturday, March 21st, 2026 | 8AM – 3PM
EARLY BIRD: 7AM entry for just $5 — get first pick before the crowds

GENERAL ADMISSION: Always
FREE LIVE MUSIC: Local performers all day long
FOOD: Local food vendors on-site
RSVP & FREE TICKET: www.TheColfaxBazaar.com
AS FEATURED IN: SFGate, February 2026

Come for the deals. Stay for the stories.

The Colfax Bazaar isn’t just a market. It’s a 113-year-old building that once shipped the Sierra’s harvests to the world, coming back to life — one vendor, one visitor, one community gathering at a time. We built this for Colfax. We built it for you.

Register for your free ticket at www.TheColfaxBazaar.com and join us on March 21st.

See you at the hunt.

— Historic Colfax Downtown Association

Historic downtown Colfax California main street with vintage storefronts including tobacco and gifts shop

Colfax CA in the News: SFGate Discovers What We’ve Known All Along

They finally noticed.

SFGate just published a feature on Colfax titled “Priced out of Tahoe, young transplants are turning to this foothills town.” Yahoo! The article hit on February 4th. By February 5th, our phones were ringing.

Here’s what matters: They mentioned The Colfax Bazaar by name.

Not just mentioned it. Featured it. The article described it as “a vibrant marketplace filled with antiques, oddities, handcrafted goods, and local flavor.” Yahoo!

This is the work showing up.

The Real Stars: Our Community

But the article wasn’t really about us. It was about the people who make Colfax what it is.

SFGate talked to Eva Saunders, who was born and raised here and works at Il Pizzaiolo. She explained what keeps people in Colfax even when they think about leaving: “You drive two hours and you’re at the beach. Drive an hour and you’re at Tahoe.” Yahoo! She also works at TJ’s Roadhouse, one of the local diners that sees business boom when I-80 shuts down in the snow.

They interviewed transplants who chose Colfax deliberately. One said he wanted “more trees than people” Yahoo! and appreciated that “there’s not a single stoplight in this town.” Yahoo! Another resident named Harvey told them about the community: “Everybody’s just mellow and sweet. And everyone waves to each other.” Yahoo!

That’s Colfax. That’s what SFGate found when they came here.

Our Part in the Story

The Colfax Bazaar didn’t exist a year ago. The Historic Fruit Exchange Building sat dormant for years—a beautiful 1910 structure waiting for the right idea. When the Fruit Exchange came to us with their vision, we saw the opportunity immediately. This was exactly our mission: telling Colfax’s story by bringing its historic spaces back to life.

The Colfax Bazaar at Historic Fruit Exchange Building downtown Colfax

We partnered with them to implement it. To launch it. To turn an idea into a successful event that now draws hundreds of visitors every time those doors open.

That partnership challenged the notion that Colfax is just a town people pass through on I-80. The Bazaar proved something different was possible.

This is our mission in action. To breathe new life into The Fruit Exchange by activation—by creating a reason for people to walk through those doors. By filling a Gold Rush-era building with vendors, music, community, and energy.

The SFGate article captured what we’ve been building. Colfax sits at the perfect elevation: “above the fog and below the snow.” Yahoo! Forty miles from Sugar Bowl. Fifty miles from Sacramento. Less than 140 miles to San Francisco.

SFGate article featuring Colfax California as foothills destination for young transplants

Young people are figuring this out. They can’t afford Tahoe anymore. So they’re looking down the mountain. And they’re finding us—because partnerships like this one have given them something to find.

One transplant told SFGate she picked Colfax because she wanted “more trees than people.” Yahoo! Another local, Eva Saunders, who grew up here and works at Il Pizzaiolo, explained the pull: “You drive two hours and you’re at the beach. Drive an hour and you’re at Tahoe.” Yahoo!

The article ran with photos of our historic Main Street. The old train depot. Our frontier-style storefronts. The assets we’ve been protecting and activating through every event, every grant application, every concert, every partnership.

This is what happens when you do the work. When you partner with building owners who have vision. When you help launch events that draw hundreds of people to a space that used to sit empty. When you organize concert series that pack downtown with 500 plus attendees. When you create programming that transforms Colfax from a place people drive past into a destination worth discovering.

The Bazaar isn’t just a marketplace. It’s proof of what collaboration can do. It shows what happens when the Historic Colfax Downtown Association partners with property owners and community members who want better for downtown. When we honor our Gold Rush history by actually using these incredible spaces. When we tell Colfax’s story not through plaques and pamphlets, but through vibrant community gatherings that fill historic buildings with life.

The article hit Yahoo News within 24 hours. Our social media post about it exploded. People are sharing it. Planning visits. Seeing what we’ve been building together.

Some are planning more than visits. The inquiries are coming in—people asking about neighborhoods, schools, what it’s really like to live here. If you’re one of them, there’s a resource: MovetoColfax.com has the details you need about making Colfax home.

We’ve been saying Colfax is the Gateway to the High Sierra. Now SFGate is saying it too.

Here’s the thing about media coverage: It doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because there’s a story worth telling. Because a town of 2,200 people is doing something that catches attention. The reporter came here. Walked our streets. Talked to our residents. Saw the potential in Colfax and wrote about what they found.

Read the full SFGate article here:

The Historic Colfax Downtown Association is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to revitalizing downtown Colfax by honoring its history and creating spaces where community can take root. We partnered with the Historic Fruit Exchange Building to launch The Colfax Bazaar—an event that now draws hundreds of visitors and tells Colfax’s story in a whole new way. Support our mission at https://historiccolfax.com/get-more-information/ or visit us at the next Bazaar.

HCDA members representing Colfax at Placer Valley 2025 event

Colfax at the Table: Representing Our Town at Placer Valley 2025

A Seat at the Regional Table

Colfax may be small, but its voice carries weight — especially when it shows up at the right tables. At Placer Valley 2025: The Next Normal – Strategies for a Shifting Business Landscape, our town had the chance to take a literal and figurative seat alongside Placer County’s biggest players. This wasn’t just another conference or government meet-up. It was a pivotal moment where city leaders, economic strategists, and civic influencers gathered to sketch out the future of the region — and Colfax was right there with them, advocating for the Colfax Downtown Revitalization.

Why is this significant? Because in today’s rapidly evolving business environment, towns like Colfax must find their footing not just within their own borders but in the broader ecosystem. With major cities like Roseville and Rocklin sharing polished strategies and tech-forward plans, it’s more important than ever that communities like ours are seen, heard, and represented.

Our presence at the event wasn’t just ceremonial. The Historic Colfax Downtown Association showed up to connect, advocate, and scout ideas that could take root in our own backyard. We listened to how cities are tackling urban sprawl, balancing heritage with progress, and reimagining how people live, work, and play. These insights are not only valuable — they’re potentially transformative.

Why This Matters for Colfax

While it’s easy to dismiss big-city solutions as out of reach for a place like Colfax, the reality is far more promising. Our town has something no major metropolis can replicate: authenticity, history, charm, and a tight-knit community spirit that’s ripe for thoughtful growth. What we lack in population, we more than make up for in potential — and potential needs partnerships.

Events like Placer Valley 2025 help bridge the gap between ideas and implementation. They offer a platform for shared knowledge, funding opportunities, and policy alignment that small towns can’t afford to miss. For Colfax, it means we’re not only part of the conversation — we’re helping shape it. And that’s a powerful position to be in.

Understanding the Importance of Placer Valley 2025

What is Placer Valley 2025?

At first glance, Placer Valley 2025 might sound like another buzzword-filled event in a sea of local government meetups. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find something far more impactful — a strategic summit pulling together the sharpest minds from across Placer County to prepare for the “next normal” in business and civic development.

Hosted by Placer County, this event isn’t just about policy or projections. It’s a collaborative brainstorm where city managers, elected officials, economic developers, and civic organizations join forces. The aim? To anticipate trends, respond to shifts in the economic landscape, and chart a more resilient, community-centered path forward.

For Colfax, attending meant having a rare opportunity to engage in cross-city dialogue — to listen, learn, and share. It’s easy to feel isolated as a smaller town, but gatherings like this reinforce that every municipality plays a role in the region’s success. The decisions made here ripple outward, influencing funding priorities, infrastructure upgrades, workforce programs, and zoning updates that directly impact our residents and businesses.

Placer Valley 2025 isn’t a one-off event. It’s part of a larger vision that stretches into the future — aligning regional goals, encouraging innovation, and building coalitions. Whether it’s reshaping how downtown areas function or navigating post-pandemic shifts in retail and workforce trends, the themes discussed are highly relevant to Colfax.

The Theme – “The Next Normal”

Perhaps the most compelling part of the event was its focus on “The Next Normal.” Let’s face it — normal has changed. Post-pandemic realities, evolving work patterns, digital transformation, and shifting demographics have altered what communities need to thrive.

“The Next Normal” isn’t about going back to how things were. It’s about building something better, more adaptable, and more inclusive. The speakers and breakout sessions dove into practical strategies: from adaptive reuse of buildings to promoting local entrepreneurship and increasing downtown vibrancy.

For Colfax, this theme resonated deeply. As a historic town with roots that run deep, we understand the tension between honoring the past and embracing the future. The Next Normal offers a way to do both — preserving what makes Colfax special while adopting modern approaches to economic development.

Colfax’s Role in a Countywide Conversation

Representing Small-Town Voices

In a room full of heavy-hitters from Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, and Auburn, the Historic Colfax Downtown Association stepped in with a singular mission: to make sure Colfax had a voice.

Larger cities naturally dominate these discussions, thanks to bigger budgets, staff, and infrastructure. But small towns like Colfax face their own set of unique challenges — and often don’t have the same access to resources or platforms. Showing up ensures we don’t just get a seat at the table but a say in the outcome.

Advocating for Colfax’s Unique Identity

Colfax isn’t trying to be Rocklin or Auburn. Our goal is to amplify what makes us distinct — from our railroad heritage to our Gold Rush-era architecture. Events like Placer Valley 2025 allow us to position our identity not as a limitation but as a strength.

We’re not interested in cookie-cutter development. We’re interested in community-centered progress — where each improvement supports local culture, enhances quality of life, and reflects the values of our residents. That’s why the Historic Colfax Downtown Association focused on learning about programs and funding streams that support revitalization without erasing the past.

Having a strong brand and sense of place is increasingly seen as a competitive advantage. Colfax already has that in spades. Now, it’s about leveraging it — and regional collaboration is key.

Insights Gained from Larger Cities

Auburn: Energizing Downtown Through Entertainment Zones

Auburn introduced weekend “Entertainment Zones” where residents can enjoy drinks while strolling through downtown — creating a casual, vibrant atmosphere that activates public space without the need for large events. It’s a low-cost, high-impact model that encourages foot traffic and supports local businesses. For Colfax, adopting a similar approach during events or seasonal weekends could foster more community engagement and downtown vitality.

Lincoln: Revitalizing with Form-Based Codes

Lincoln is embracing form-based zoning to prioritize design and mixed-use development over rigid land-use rules. This allows for housing above shops and pedestrian-friendly spaces — breathing life into their historic downtown. Colfax, with its charming buildings and walkable layout, could benefit from similar flexibility, making it easier to repurpose underused spaces while preserving character.

Rocklin: Investing in People to Power Progress

Rocklin’s strategy centers on workforce development and leadership training within city staff and local schools. Their focus on people — not just policy — builds long-term resilience and innovation. Colfax can adopt this mindset by strengthening local leadership, supporting volunteers, and fostering collaboration among civic groups.

Roseville: Blending Retail with Community Experiences

Roseville is turning traditional shopping centers into community hubs — combining retail with events, art, food trucks, and co-working spaces. For Colfax, this is a cue to think beyond storefronts. With strategic programming and creative use of space, our downtown can become a destination where people come not just to shop, but to connect.

Building Sustainable Downtown Programs

A thriving downtown isn’t built overnight — it grows through consistent, meaningful programs that bring people together again and again. For the Historic Colfax Downtown Association (HCDA), building sustainable downtown initiatives means creating experiences that spark pride, connection, and long-term momentum for our community.

This year, the Historic Colfax Downtown Association took a bold step onto the national stage when we advanced to the Top 100 in the Levitt Grant Music Series competition — a prestigious program that funds free outdoor concerts in communities across America. To help rally support during the public voting round, we launched a free concert in just a matter of weeks – called The Rock The Vote Concert, bringing the community together around live music, local pride, and shared energy.

The response was overwhelming. Residents, local businesses, and supporters came out in full force — not just to attend the concert, but to cast their votes and spread the word. That outpouring of support pushed Colfax into the Top 50 Finalists, standing shoulder to shoulder with cities 100 times our size. It was a proud moment that proved our small town has big heart — and a hunger for music, connection, and cultural celebration.

We’re now awaiting the final selection announcement from Levitt, but regardless of the outcome, the experience has already sparked something powerful in Colfax.

That wave of enthusiasm inspired us to take action. Out of that spirit came Pints & Grooves, a free live concert event that celebrated local musicians and downtown Colfax alike. The turnout and positive energy far exceeded expectations, reaffirming the belief that music has the power to unite people and revitalize place.

Building on that success, HCDA is now proud to announce the launch of a 2026 Free Concert Series — a seasonal lineup of outdoor performances designed to bring consistent, high-quality entertainment to our community. These concerts will not only support local and regional artists but also drive traffic to downtown shops, restaurants, and gathering spaces. We hope that the LEvitt Foundation will invest in Colfax and help us fund this concert series, but we are moving forward regardless. One thing about Colfax is we have grit, and we proved that we can make this happen for our town regardless of the outcome of the grant decision.

Alongside our growing Colfax Bazaar, which drew over 1,000 visitors and reactivated the historic Fruit Exchange Building after years of dormancy, this new concert series marks another milestone in Colfax’s journey toward a vibrant, experience-driven downtown.

Sustainability means creating programs that people look forward to — events that strengthen community bonds and generate lasting impact. Through music, collaboration, and creativity, HCDA is proving that small towns can make big noise — and that Colfax’s best days are still ahead.

Staying True to Our Historic Roots While Innovating

Innovation in Colfax doesn’t mean replacing the past — it means amplifying it. Our rich history is one of our town’s greatest strengths, and we’re finding new ways to celebrate it while adapting to meet the future.

From the iconic train depot to preserved Gold Rush-era buildings, Colfax tells a story that can’t be replicated. But these treasures aren’t just relics — they’re foundations for the next chapter. Historic spaces should be lived in, not left behind. That means reimagining old buildings for modern uses — whether it’s turning a former general store into a co-working hub, hosting contemporary art shows in historic hotels, or blending digital tools into walking tours for an interactive, immersive experience.

At the center of this evolution is our digital marketing push — particularly through the Visit Historic Colfax platform. This growing online presence is more than just a website — it’s our virtual front door. Designed to market local events, showcase our downtown businesses, and promote Colfax as a vibrant destination, Visit Historic Colfax helps connect us with visitors, potential investors, and partners looking for authentic small-town experiences.

It’s a powerful reminder that technology and tradition don’t have to be at odds. With tools like digital event calendars, social media campaigns, and SEO-targeted storytelling, we’re making it easier for people to discover what makes Colfax special — and giving them reasons to visit, stay, and return.

Supporting this innovation means making room for smart growth: improving internet infrastructure, welcoming remote workers, enabling live/work zoning, and encouraging flexible use of historic properties. These changes respect the past while creating pathways for the next generation of Colfax entrepreneurs and creatives.

Equally important is community voice. True innovation only succeeds when it reflects local values. That’s why HCDA is committed to inclusive planning, open communication, and empowering residents to be part of the town’s evolving story — through public art, historic preservation, and collaborative visioning.

Colfax doesn’t need to choose between being a historic gem or a forward-thinking town. We’re both — and that’s exactly what makes us worth visiting, investing in, and calling home.

As we look ahead to a brighter, more connected downtown Colfax, we invite you to be part of the movement. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop on events and updates, fill out our community interest form to volunteer your time or skills, or consider donating to support our 2026 free concert series. Whether you’re a business, organization, or neighbor, you can also join us as a community partner. Together, we’re building something special — and we’d love for you to be part of it.

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