Essex has announced some very exciting Christmas markets and Christmas events this year. We have narrowed down the list of the best and most festive Christmas markets in Essex for Christmas 2024.

The Best Christmas Markets in Essex

Rawreths View Nordic Market

Rawreth’s Garden Center in Essex is hosting a Nordic Christmas Market this year from 28th September with over 30 stalls selling crafts, gifts, decorations and more. Throughout November and December the festivities will amp up with live music including a Michael Buble tribute act and food tasting weekends.

Ingatestone Christmas Market

Ingatestone High Street has announced it’s Christmas market will run on Sunday 8th December from 12-6pm. Explore the high street and the stalls on offer. This year is sure to be bigger and better than ever as it is the first year it is connected and organised by Brentwood council.

Christmas Fair Tiptree Marquee

Tiptree Tea Room is hosting it’s annual Christmas Fair and this year it will once again be hosted in their marquee making this event suitable for all weathers. The fayre is being held on 7-8th December from 10am-3pm.

Chelmsford Cathedral Christmas Market

Chelmsford Cathedral is hosting a Christmas market on Saturday 7th December from 10am-3pm. Explore the architecture of the cathedral whilst browsing local crafts and gifts. A truly Christmassy setting!

Braintree Christmas Street Market

Braintree will be holding their annual Christmas Street Market on Saturday 23rd November from 9am-5:30pm. The market will have entertainment, local crafts and food and drink stalls.

Source: Visit Essex

Christmas at the Stables

Highlands Estate is also organising Christmas at the Stables on their grounds in addition to the Enlightened trail. The event will consist of live music and entertainment, food and drink and stalls selling crafts, gifts and local produce. Christmas at the Stables is being held 20-21st November and 5-9 December from 5-9pm.

Source: Hylands Estate

Meadowcroft Garden Center

Meadowcroft Garden Center in Battlesbridge are hosting their annual German Christmas Market this year. Go along for festive shopping, music, food and drinks.

Source: Eat Drink Seek

Fete Christmas Market

The amazing Fete restaurant in Chelmsford are hosting a Christmas market this year upstairs on their second floor with stalls selling crafts and gifts. The market will be held on 8th December from 10am-2pm.

Old Leigh Christmas Market

Old Leigh in Leigh on Sea is hosting their annual Christmas Market on 7-8 December. Take in the views of the estuary while you browse the stalls. The Crooked Billet pub also produces snow and you can enjoy a drink under the dusting of snow this festive season.

Source: Old leigh Christmas Market

Writtle Foodies Market

Writtle will be turning it’s foodie market into a Christmas foodie market on 17th November and 15th December from 11am-3pn. Go along for festive food options, mulled wine and live entertainment.

Colchester Christmas Market

Colchester is hosting it’s annual Colchester Christmas Market on Sunday 8th December on the High Street. The market will offer festive stalls, food, mulled wine, entertainment, Santa and fair ground rides.

Source; Colchester Gazette

Maldon High Street Christmas Market

Maldon High Street is hosting it’s annual Christmas Market on Thursday 28th November in conjunction with their Christmas lights switch on. The market will be held from 5-9pn with the lights being switched on at 6pm.

Source: Maldon and Burnham Standard

Colchester Christmas Evening Market

Christmas is taking over the Piazza outside Mercury Theatre on Saturday 14th December from 4-8pm with a evening of festivities in the form of Colchester’s Christmas Evening Market. There will be food, drinks, liver entertainment and stalls.

Source: Eat Drink Seek

Shoeburyness Christmas Market

Shoeburyness are hosting a Christmas market for the third year running on Saturday 7th December. There will be food options, stalls with crafts and gifts and visits to Santa.

Source: Visit Southend

Markshall Estate

Christmas at Markshall is a grand affair. They have a Christmas market on 23rd and 24th November from 10am-4pm where you can see the estate in all of it’s festive glory. They also have Enlightened Markshall where you can see their light trail which they are hosting for the first time from 6th-24th December daily from 4:30pm.

The Christmas Cabins

Chelmsford for You is teaming up with City Churros to bring Christmas Cabins to Chelmsford this Christmas. The cabins will will host various street food options as well as products of local businesses and creators. You can head to the cabins from Friday 6th December-Sunday 22nd December.