About Us

Since 2015, the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. has operated the Canal Village Farmers’ Market on the site where once existed a Shell gas station, circa 1964. As Medina’s community farmer’s market, it features area farms– livestock products, fruit and vegetable, artisans, crafters, food vendors, musicians, community groups, wineries, children’s activities and more. The market operates Saturday mornings, 9:00am to 2:00pm, June through October.

 

Over these past ten years, the Canal Village Farmers’ Market has become widely known around WNY and is an important agri-tourism establishment. Shortly after its inception, plans were being formulated to create a permanent, viable downtown agri-business, not only in the form of a weekly farmer’s market, but potentially as a fresh-market co-op with regular operating hours.

 

In 2024 with the successful $4.5 million grant award by NYS to the Village of Medina, the Canal Village Farmers’ Market was awarded $725,000. for what would be an exciting and transformative redevelopment of the entire market site. The project would see a new addition to the existing MCM structure, affording more interior, year-round operating space, along with an entire redevelopment of this pivotal location in Downtown Medina. It would be the first truly impactful development on-site in more than sixty years! 

 

Additionally, ORG is developing a business plan that will see the entire facility thriving as an agri-tourism venue. The new construction and amenities will allow the site to become a year-round hub within historic downtown, hosting the market along with farm-to-table and agri-tourism related community and private events. It will be a unique venue among farmer’s markets in WNY, further enhancing Downtown Medina’s reputation as a destination. 

 

The Orleans Renaissance Group. Inc. continues to be in the forefront of making our community and region a better place to live and grow. ORG is committed to remaining a vital partner in the community, continuing to play a vital role in the ‘renaissance’ that is Medina. 

 

Over the past thirty years, ORG has contributed to Medina’s ‘renaissance’ in innumerable ways (see our portfolio) with the redevlopment of the market and market site as our latest, impactful initiative.

 

The changes and enhancements envisioned in this project will reshape a crucial site in downtown with consequential effect for Medina lasting generations. We know you share that vision for Medina too– a vision looking forward, sustaining the community’s ongoing resurgence! 

 

Accomplishing these great things takes dedication, time, talent and treasure. We cannot do it alone. We need your help.

 

To date, we’ve secured $750,000. towards our goal of $1.2 million to fully complete this transformative project as envisioned in Downtown Medina.

 

To that end, we continue to pursue every avenue of additional funding via grants, charitable foundations and private contributions. 

 

ORG is a long-established 501(c)(3) organization. We are credible. We are professional. We are innovative. For over thirty years we have played a pivitol role, promoting the arts, culture and preservation in Medina, working diligently to make our community and region a better place to live and grow.  

 

Your support can help us complete this project, and together, we can make a lasting difference in the the community. As one of our most valued supporters, you’ll be at the forefront of this initiative with a major gift that will directly fund this ground-breaking redevelopment. Your generosity will have a profound impact on not only the market project, but on Historic Downtown and the entire community for generations. 

 

Contributions to this transformative project are tax deductible. We are profoundly grateful for your consideration.