Durham Markets - Outdoor Markets and Events

01/06/2026

❤️ We now have almost 2,000 poppies for our installation this Remembrance Day - thank you! ❤️

If you're not already aware, we’re creating something truly special for Remembrance Day this year.

Our initial aim was to create 12,600 knitted and crocheted poppies – one for every soldier of the Durham Light Infantry who lost their life during the World Wars. However, the number we had been given was incorrect; we actually need 16,386 poppies, as this is the true figure of DLI soldiers who lost their lives during both wars. So we need your help more than ever to reach this figure! 🙏

These poppies will form two breathtaking canopy installations, suspended from our Market Hall entrance ramps. A sea of red to honour their sacrifice and ensure they are never forgotten.

🧶 Can you help?
Whether you’re a knitter, a crochet pro, part of a craft group, WI, a school art project, or just fancy getting involved, we’d love you to be part of this.
✨ Templates are available online (for those who want them), but your own designs are very welcome too

Don't knit or crochet, but still want to be involved? Any crafted poppy will be happily accepted: sewn, papercrafted, made with ribbons, or any other craft where the poppy can be attached to netting and suspended from a ceiling.

📅 Deadline for completed poppies: Friday 16th October
(but you can drop them off any time before then to give us longer to stitch them onto military cam netting, ready for display)

📍 Drop-off point:
The House of Eden, Durham Market Hall (bottom-left corner)
(Pop in and see Louisa 👋)

📦 Posting option:
The House of Eden
Durham Market Hall
Market Place
Durham
DH1 3NJ

👉 If dropping off multiple poppies, please include a note with how many you’ve made to help us keep track.

📩 If you have any questions, message us or email [email protected]

Together, we can create something truly moving for our city. A tribute that reflects the scale of sacrifice and the strength of our community. Let’s make sure they are remembered ❤️

31/05/2026

What a fantastic day! 🌈 💙

30/05/2026

🏳️‍🌈 Happy Durham Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

Today, Durham will be awash with colour, celebration and community as Durham Pride UK returns to the city! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

As parade-goers make their way towards the cathedral for the 11am start, be sure to stop by our outdoor market and show some love to a couple of fantastic organisations supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

📚 BookWyrm has swapped the Market Hall for the Market Place today and will be trading from a double stall packed with LGBTQ+ books, accessories and a wide selection of Pride flags 🏳️‍🌈, making it the perfect place to pick up something special before the celebrations begin.

🤝 Right next door, you'll find , a not-for-profit organisation creating safe, sober spaces for q***r, neurodiverse and disabled people across the North East, helping people connect, build friendships and find community.

The Pride Parade will set off from Palace Green at 11am before making its way through the city and past the Market Place on its journey to The Sands. If you're in the city today, give the parade participants a cheer and help make Durham Pride another fantastic celebration of diversity, inclusion and belonging.

From everyone at Durham Markets, we wish you a wonderful Durham Pride 2026! 🏳️‍🌈✨

25/05/2026

Durham, you've been amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who came along to support our regional heat of the NMTF Young Traders' Market today. You came out in droves, and it was so busy. We hope you enjoyed yourselves and found lots of goodies!

We had artists, crafters, bakers, authors, and people passionate about their work. We have to take our hats off to them all, not just for their brilliant products, but also for battling the heat all day!

The talent of the competitors was outstanding, which made it incredibly hard to choose the winners. But choose we did, and we're delighted to announce the winners!

The overall winner was . The judges were wowed by the level of detail in her work, especially as she had never picked up a pencil to draw before lockdown. To go from zero experience to making the leap in starting her own business in such a small space of time is inspiring!

We had two runner-ups: .frames and . Both meticulously handmake their items to such a high standard, and the judges loved their passion for what they do.

Then, because it was so hard, two 'highly commendeds' were awarded. One to and one to . The judges loved the products, the talent, and their overall business offering, which went beyond simply selling finished products on their stalls.

We can't stress enough how difficult it was to decide on the winners. If we could have awarded more, we would have! But we would like to thank everyone who traded with us today, including three under-16s who are just starting out on their journey and who are all incredibly talented young people with bright futures ahead of them!

23/05/2026

SO excited about today’s line up at the Through the Decades Weekender 🎉👏

22/05/2026

What an AMAZING start to our Through the Decades Weekender! 🎉✨

The Market Place has been full of music, laughter, history, balloon animals, dancing, shopping and smiling faces all day long ❤️

A massive thank you to everyone who came down today to support our traders, performers and local businesses. Seeing the city buzzing like this is exactly what it’s all about.

And we’re only just getting started… 👀

Still loads happening across the weekend including live music, entertainment, living history camps, kids activities, fancy dress, stilt walkers, face painting, puppachinos for your four-legged friends and so much more! 🐶🎭🎶

FREE ENTRY
📍 Durham Market Place
📅 Saturday 23rd – Sunday 24th May

Come and celebrate 175 years of Durham Markets with us!

21/05/2026

🎪 VISIT OUR LITTLE TRADERS TENT 🎪 A little corner of the market made just for kids… full of creativity, colour, chaos and probably at least one child covered head to toe in chalk by lunchtime.

Join us at the Through the Decades Weekender for:
✨ Create Your Own Market Stall
✨ Colouring & Drawing
✨ Games & Activities
✨ Chalk Floor Art
✨ Hula Hoops & Circus Tricks
✨ Family Fun All Weekend

🗓 Saturday & Sunday
⏰ 11am – 3pm
📍 Durham Market Place
🎟 FREE EVENT

Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. 👀

21/05/2026

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/26117712.free-three-day-festival-mark-175-years-durham-markets/

Durham Markets is preparing to celebrate its 175th anniversary with a three-day community event in the city centre.

20/05/2026

🎪 FREE EVENT 🎪 Help us spread the word to the community 🏠Please SHARE the post 🙏Tag a Friend 🙏Visit 🙏…. As what a line-up we have for you this weekend! 👏🏻 🎉

BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DURHAM MARKETS - 175 YEARS! 🎉 And what better way to celebrate than with a HUGE FREE family weekender right in the heart of the city ❤️

📍 Durham Market Place
📅 Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th May
⏰ FREE EVENT Family Fun All Weekend!

We’re bringing Durham Market Place to life for an unforgettable celebration packed with live music, family entertainment, history, performers, fancy dress, kids activities, market shopping and so much more! ✨

🎭 Fancy Dress Competition
Dress up from your favourite decade for the chance to WIN amazing prizes including £100 Durham Market vouchers!
Medieval? Victorian? 1940s? 1990s? Totally random and chaotic? We want to see it all!

🎶 Live performances all weekend
🎪 Stilt walkers, disco performers & balloon modelling
🎨 Face painting, glitter tattoos & hair braiding
🏴‍☠️ East India Company Living History Camp
🩺 Padraig’s Gruesome Historical Workshops (Sunday)
🧒 Kids Tent with games, colouring & activities
🐶 FREE Puppachinos from Bert & Barns
🛍️ Indoor & Outdoor Independent Market Traders

This weekend is all about celebrating Durham, supporting local businesses, bringing families into the city and creating something fun, free and memorable for everyone ❤️

Whether you come for the music, the shopping, the history, the costumes, the food or just to soak up the atmosphere… there’s something for every age.

✨ Grab the family, dress up if you fancy it, and come spend the weekend with us!