Essex does Christmas markets properly. Not the overpriced London kind where a mulled wine costs £8.50 — the actual village-fete-with-fairy-lights kind where the mince pies are made by someone's nan. Here's every worthwhile market across the county for 2026, updated as dates are confirmed.
Dates below are confirmed at time of writing. Always double-check the organiser's page in the week before — a few move for weather.
The big city markets
Chelmsford Cathedral Christmas Market
Weekend of 29-30 November 2026. Free entry. 80+ stalls in and around the cathedral square. Best for gifts, artisan food, and the traditional carol service on Sunday afternoon. Park at High Chelmer for £2 all-day on the weekend.
Colchester Old Town Christmas Market
6-7 December 2026. Sits along Culver Street West and inside the castle grounds. Bigger every year — Victorian dress code for some stallholders and an outdoor ice rink from late November through New Year.
Southend Christmas by the Sea
Runs 15 November - 3 January. Not a weekend market — a full 6-week seafront takeover with rides, wooden chalets, and the annual pier lights. Best after dark, park at the Cliffs Pavilion.
Market town Christmas markets
Saffron Walden Christmas Fair
Saturday 22 November 2026. The best small-town market in the county — spans the market square, Cross Keys, and side streets. Local cheese, fudge from the same family since 1978, and a real Christmas tree market at the corn exchange.
Braintree Christmas Market
Saturday 6 December 2026. Runs alongside the town's late-night shopping. Smaller than Chelmsford but genuinely local — mostly Essex-based makers.
Maldon Christmas Market
Sunday 30 November 2026. Held along the High Street and down at Hythe Quay. Excellent for fish, oysters, and the local sea salt (which makes an excellent stocking filler if you're stuck).
Coggeshall Christmas Market
Sunday 7 December 2026. Tiny, entirely in the mediaeval village hall. Booking pre-9am is the only way to get the good stuff.
Village markets worth the drive
Finchingfield Christmas Fair
First Saturday in December. On the green, next to the duck pond. Genuinely the picture-postcard of Christmas Essex.
Great Bardfield Christmas Market
Second Saturday in December. Small but excellent — held in the town hall since the 1800s. Come for the mulled cider.
Dedham Village Christmas
Sunday 14 December 2026. Constable country doing what it does best. Free carriage rides from the Sun Inn car park.
Late-night shopping evenings
Most Essex market towns run "late-night shopping" evenings in late November and December — worth checking:
- Brentwood High Street: Thursday 27 November, 5-9pm
- Rayleigh: Wednesday 3 December, 5-9pm
- Great Dunmow: Friday 5 December, 5-9pm
- Halstead: Friday 12 December, 5-9pm
Parking tips (the honest ones)
- Chelmsford weekend: skip the town centre. Park at Melbourne Park (£free) and take the shuttle bus.
- Colchester Old Town: use St Mary's multi-storey. It's cash-only after 6pm.
- Southend: don't drive down the Seaway on a Saturday night. Take the c2c to Southend Central and walk.
- Saffron Walden: park at the Common (free on weekends) not the town-centre car parks.
Never miss a market
Our events board updates in real time as new markets are confirmed. Follow it in early November to catch late additions and one-day village fetes.
Running a market? Add your event free — takes 60 seconds and shows up in our weekly newsletter.
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