If you want to pick up a gift for someone special, fancy getting your hands on some delicious and speciality homemade foods, or just want to soak up a festive and fun atmosphere, there’s no better place to do all three than at a Christmas Market. Here are 11 upcoming markets for you to enjoy:
1. Causeway Speciality Market, Coleraine
The Diamond, Coleraine
Saturday, December 9
Free Entry
The Causeway Speciality Market is a bustling speciality food and craft market held around Coleraine Town Hall on the second Saturday of each month. It is the largest regular outdoor market in Northern Ireland, offering fabulous cheeses, home baked speciality breads, vegetarian foods, chocolates, and much more, including a superb range of quality crafts such as handmade jewellery, hand-stitched cushions, handbags, candles and soaps.
2. The Christmas Market, Belfast
Belfast City Hall, Donegal Square North
Saturday, 18 November – Saturday, 23 December
Free Entry
The annual Belfast Christmas Market has a variety of delicious food and drink to choose from, with something for everyone of all ages! A new spacious eating area is an addition for 2017, where you can sit, relax, and enjoy the delights the market has to offer. In addition to food and drink, there are 20 traders offering a range of high quality goods from their hand-crafted chalets.
3. The Fine and Dandy Christmas Market, Belfast
University Road
Wednesday, December 20
This monthly market usually showcases the work of independent artists, designers, and crafters, as well as a wide collection of records, books, and vintage wares, as well as quality and local food and drink. On December 20th there will be a Christmas theme with plenty of festive goodies.
4. Frock Around the Clock
Belfast Castle
Wednesday, December 13
This magical Christmas vintage and handmade fair will feature 45 select stalls of handcrafted jewellery and upcycled fashion, home wares, and collectibles, including textiles and décor, toys, art, photography, and much more.
5. Shambles Variety Market
The Shambles Yard, Armagh
Friday, December 22
Christmas revellers can immerse themselves in all the wonderful sights and sounds of the festive period including songs, treats and mulled punch.
6. Christmas Craft Market, Portstewart
Flowerfield
Friday, December 1 – Tuesday, December 19
This award-winning arts centre welcomes another fun Christmas Craft Market and exhibition. Get into the Christmas spirit by taking in the unique handmade crafts for sale at very reasonable prices.
7. Christmas at Inns Market
Inns Market, Inns Cross, Belfast
Saturday, December 16
Experience the sounds, smells and taste of Christmas at Inns Market. All of your favourite local artisan food producers will be in attendance with their distinctive twist on Christmas. Expect to find free range turkeys, local, fresh and seasonal vegetables, fresh bread and cakes, chutneys and jams, artisan cheese, mezze and charcuterie, foodie gifts, street food, coffee and more.
8. EastSide Christmas Market
CS Lewis Square, Newtownards Road, Belfast
Thursday, December 14
Free Entry
CS Lewis Square will be transformed into a winter wonderland as a celebration of Christmas on the Connswater Community Greenway. There will be markets, a visit from Santa, festive storytelling, Dr Bike, and live music and street theatre performances, so you’re bound to be entertained with this bustling programme of activities for the whole family.
9. Christmas Markets, Newcastle
Mourne Markets, Newcastle
December 8 – 10
Free Entry
Mourne Markets is an indoor market based in Newcastle, Count Down, showcasing the best of local producers of food, drink, arts & crafts, designers, illustrators, and crafters, alongside stalls selling books, vintage wares, and quality food and drink.
10. The Magical Christmas Vintage and Handmade Fair, Belfast
Belfast Castle Estate and Cave Hill Visitor Centre
Sunday, December 10
Entry – Adults: £3 Children: Free
Frock Around the Clock returns to the beautiful Belfast Castle for The Magical Christmas Vintage and Handmade Fair, featuring over 50 fantastic stalls of vintage, hand-crafted, and upcycled fashion, furniture, homewares and collectables, artisan food, décor and much more!
Of course there’s always some fantastic markets on all year round across Northern Ireland like St George’s in Belfast so it’s always worth checking out some of those too.