The Friends of Paul M. Grist State Park are ready for another full day of activities with the groups second annual Trade Day.

Back for the second year, the annual fundraiser offers vendors, kids games, pony rides, fishing and more.

“On a normal basis, the park is very calm and serene. People just want to go out and enjoy the nature,” said Anita Ellison, president of the group. “But on Trade Day, it’s pretty wild. We just have all the people coming and enjoying it.”

Ellison said people enjoy walking around checking out the different vendors and running into old friends, all while enjoying the outdoors.

“You see people walking around and meeting and seeing people they haven’t seen for a while and everybody just enjoying the day being out there,” she said. “It makes us feel good that all these people can come out and enjoy such a good time.”

Ellison said the event is for raising money for the park, but it’s also a way to get people out there to see what they have to offer.

“We’ve been doing this for two years … just trying to increase people’s awareness of the park being there,” Ellison said. “There’s still people in the Dallas County area that say ‘I never knew this was here.’ So, this is a way for us to get the people out and just make them aware that this is in their area.”

One of the main attractions at Trade Day are the children’s games, and Ellison said it’s fun to see the kids playing and having a good time.

“We just love to see the faces of the children being out there playing,” Ellison said. “One of my fondest memories in doing this is, I was standing there and one of the trailers go by, and this little boy, he’s just grinning and laughing because he’s just having the best time of his life riding out there on that trailer.”

Ellison said they are currently looking for vendors who would like to sell their goods at the event.

The cost is $25 for vendors. They currently have 53 booth spots filled, and are open to a total of 85.

The cost for admission is $5, and kids 5 and under are free. Trade Day is set to take play at Paul M. Grist State Park May 5 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Those interested in renting a booth space can contact Ellison at (334) 419-3271 or by messaging the group on Facebook.