"The algebra is finding the missing piece that curates your home, that finishes what you want to decorate and makes your life complete," Aatif Merchant told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in July, explaining the name of the gallery he co-owns with Aashna Bharwani on Glade Road.
This October, the City of Colleyville is giving that gallery a booth-sized role in one of its own traditions. Art Algebra is the city's partner for the first Harvest Market, a new addition to the free Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 17. The market isn't a one-off. From the trunk-or-treat behind City Hall to a lighting grant for storefronts along Colleyville Boulevard, the city's fall and holiday events this year keep putting local businesses in front of the people who live here.
A Gallery That Started at Coffee-Shop Pop-Ups
Art Algebra sits at 1001 Glade Road, Suite 100, next door to girligirl boutique. It pairs curated handmade art with a coffee and matcha bar. According to the Star-Telegram, Bharwani and Merchant first showed pieces they brought back from trips to India at local pop-ups, often at coffee shops such as Pax and Beneficia. During one of those pop-ups, a regular who was waiting on his order admired a piece and later came back with his partner to buy one of the large works.
That pop-up habit is still part of how the shop runs. The couple hosts monthly vendor pop-ups, along with Mahjong nights and kids' art classes. The espresso comes from Dallas-based LDU Coffee, and the rotating flavor list has included maple nut, berries and cream, and a honeybee latte. The space had a soft launch in March, and the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce held its ribbon cutting on July 14.
So the city chose a partner that already knows how to fill a room with vendors. The Harvest Festival page describes the market as "a thoughtful mix of local makers, small businesses, food vendors, farmers, and more."
The Case for a Saturday Market
Colleyville tested a market format this spring. A city parks and recreation report, cited by The NE Tarrant Record, said the Senior Center's first Craft Show and Market on May 29 drew 30 vendors and close to 200 shoppers. Organizers received positive feedback and suggested moving future editions to a Saturday to draw more visitors.
The Harvest Market follows that advice. It lands on a Saturday, and it is attached to an event that already draws families with a petting zoo, face painting, fall crafts, games with prizes, and food trucks. A vendor at the May market had to bring in its own shoppers. A vendor at the Harvest Market sets up in front of a crowd that came for the costume contests.
The city announced the market on September 1 and opened vendor applications through a QR code. As of the NE Tarrant Record's September 2 report, no application deadline, booth fee, or vendor cap had been published. No vendor list or count has been released since then.
Before You Go on October 17
The Harvest Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Main Street. Admission is free. The details below come from the city's event page.
- Costume contests: Ages 3 and under at 10:30 a.m., ages 4 to 7 at 11 a.m., ages 8 and up at 11:30 a.m., and pets at noon.
- Trunk-or-Treat: Local Colleyville businesses and nonprofits hand out candy from decorated trunks in the parking lot behind City Hall. A winning trunk will be announced at the event.
- Food trucks: Trucks accept cash or credit cards.
- Parking: Free parking is available in the south lot at City Hall and at City Park.
One date to confirm: The NE Tarrant Record reported that Art Algebra separately posted a "Harvest Art Fest and Food Truck Alley" for Monday, October 19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Tuesday, October 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The paper said it was unclear whether those days extend the Harvest Market or follow a different schedule, and no venue has been confirmed. The October 17 festival is the date on the city's own page. Check with the gallery before planning around the Monday and Tuesday dates.
Fall Events Before and After the Festival
Local businesses show up before the festival too. Marshall Grain Co., at 5311 Colleyville Boulevard, is holding a free straw bale gardening class on October 10 from 10 to 11 a.m. That gives the Saturday before the market a small-business stop of its own.
Earlier in the week, National Night Out is on Tuesday, October 6, at Heroes Park at City Hall, with free food, games, and activities, along with public safety vehicles to explore. The Colleyville Fire Department canceled its Saturday open house because rain was forecast for most of the planned event, and the city says firefighters and a fire truck will be at National Night Out instead. One city listing gives the end time as 8 p.m. and another says 8:30 p.m., so plan for the earlier time.
Late in the month, Haunted Trails takes over the Colleyville Nature Center on October 29. The site opens at 6:30 p.m. with food trucks, a DJ, and treats, and the scary walk runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The city recommends it for preteens and older because costumed characters line the trails. The Nature Center, at 101 Mill Wood Drive, covers 46 acres with nine ponds and 3.5 miles of multi-use trails. The city hasn't posted admission or parking details for this year's walk.
The Same Pattern Runs Into the Holidays
The Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration on November 21 runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Heroes Park at City Hall. It repeats the Harvest Festival model. Along with Santa, reindeer, performances, and food trucks, the city lists Jingle Bell Junction, a trunk-or-treat staffed by local businesses and organizations. The indoor Community Decorated Christmas Tree Display has limited spaces. Applications are due November 2, selected groups will be notified November 3, and winners will be announced at the November 21 event.
Two city grant programs explain why storefronts may look more festive in the weeks around the lighting. The Brighten Up the Boulevard grant matches part of the cost of holiday lights for businesses along Colleyville Boulevard, also known as SH 26, with applications open August 3 through November 13. The Fall/Winter 2026 #ColleyvilleGives program offers eligible businesses that collect sales tax up to $1,000 toward holiday advertising. A business that donates $500 to a local nonprofit can receive another $1,000. Campaigns must run by December 31, 2026, and the ads must carry the #ColleyvilleGives hashtag.
The city says it has run promotional programs like these every quarter since 2018 to encourage local spending and help fund services. When you see #ColleyvilleGives in a holiday ad from a shop you already use, the city has likely helped pay for that ad.
Colleyville Fall Dates for 2026
- October 6: National Night Out, Heroes Park at City Hall, starting at 5:30 p.m.
- October 10: Straw bale gardening class, Marshall Grain Co., 10 a.m.
- October 17: Harvest Festival with the first Harvest Market, City Hall, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- October 19 and 20: Harvest Art Fest and Food Truck Alley, according to Art Algebra's post. Venue unconfirmed.
- October 29: Haunted Trails, Colleyville Nature Center, gates open at 6:30 p.m.
- November 2: Applications due for the Community Decorated Christmas Tree Display.
- November 13: Last day for businesses to apply for Brighten Up the Boulevard.
- November 21: Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration, Heroes Park at City Hall, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
A neighborhood's reputation depends partly on the businesses that show up at the Harvest Festival trunk-or-treat and the storefronts that light up Colleyville Boulevard each December. When the time comes to present your home, Sarah Gunnip brings that same local knowledge to the story buyers hear about Colleyville. Request a complimentary home valuation and tailored marketing plan.
