Southend High Street market is on Saturday 14 November 2026, 9am to 6.30pm, and The Victoria Centre has three more. Leigh has four. Updated November 2026.

Southend’s Christmas market is on the High Street on Saturday 14 November 2026, the day of the lights switch-on, with stalls from 9am to 6.30pm. Thirteen Christmas market dates are listed across Southend, Leigh-on-Sea and Westcliff this year, from 14 November to 12 December. Each is a single day, weekend or evening; there is no market that stays up for weeks.

Last checked 14 November 2026.

Overview

  • Saturday 14 November, Southend High Street: artisan market 9am to 6.30pm, switch-on at 6pm, fireworks at 7.30pm. Free. Folk & Bespoke craft fair in Leigh the same day, 10am to 3pm.
  • Friday 20 November, Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff: Festive Friday from 4pm.
  • Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, Leigh: pop-up Christmas artisan market, 12pm to 4pm.
  • Friday 27 November, Leigh: Christmas market in the Lower Hall, 3pm to 8pm, at Light Up Leigh.
  • Saturday 28 November and Saturday 12 December, The Victoria Centre: Big Up Southend makers market, 11am to 4pm.
  • Saturday 5 December: Frostbite on Southchurch Road (11.45am to 4.30pm) and the Trust Links Christmas Fayre in Westcliff (11am to 2pm).
  • Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, The Victoria Centre: Deck the Malls, 11am to 5pm, with a free Father Christmas.
  • Sunday 6 December, The Alex Bar: Mistletoe Magic and Martinis, with stalls and a grotto.
  • Thursday 10 December: Grumpy’s Christmas Market, 6pm to 9pm.
  • Saturday 12 December: Folk & Bespoke craft fair, Leigh Community Centre, 10am to 3pm.

The 13 dates at a glance

Christmas markets in Southend, Westcliff and Leigh-on-Sea, 2026
DateMarketWhereTimes
Saturday 14 NovemberChristmas in the CitySouthend High Street and The Victoria Centre9am to 6.30pm; switch-on 6pm
Saturday 14 NovemberFolk & Bespoke Craft FairLeigh Community Centre, 71-73 Elm Road10am to 3pm
Friday 20 NovemberFestive FridayHamlet Court Road, WestcliffFrom 4pm
Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 NovemberLeigh Pop-Up Christmas Artisan Craft MarketLeigh Community Centre, 71-73 Elm Road12pm to 4pm both days
Friday 27 NovemberLight Up Leigh marketLower Hall, Leigh Community Centre3pm to 8pm
Saturday 28 NovemberBig Up SouthendThe Victoria Centre, first floor11am to 4pm
Saturday 5 DecemberFrostbiteSouthchurch Road11.45am to 4.30pm
Saturday 5 DecemberTrust Links Christmas Fayre47 Fairfax Drive, Westcliff11am to 2pm
Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 DecemberDeck the MallsThe Victoria Centre11am to 5pm
Sunday 6 DecemberMistletoe Magic and MartinisThe Alex BarNot published
Thursday 10 DecemberGrumpy's Christmas Market759 Southchurch Road6pm to 9pm
Saturday 12 DecemberFolk & Bespoke Artisan Craft FairLeigh Community Centre, 71-73 Elm Road10am to 3pm
Saturday 12 DecemberBig Up SouthendThe Victoria Centre, first floor11am to 4pm

Leigh-on-Sea Christmas markets 2026

Leigh has four Christmas markets this year, and all four are at Leigh Community Centre, 71-73 Elm Road, SS9 1SP.

  • Saturday 14 November, 10am to 3pm: Folk & Bespoke Craft Fair. Handmade gifts, art, home decor and treats from local makers (Visit Southend). It finishes before the city centre switch-on, so you can do both.
  • Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, 12pm to 4pm: Leigh Pop-Up Christmas Artisan Craft Market. Local artists, makers, designers, potters, painters and photographers (leigh-on-sea.com).
  • Friday 27 November, 3pm to 8pm: the Christmas market at Light Up Leigh, in the Lower Hall. The rest of the evening runs from 4pm: the Leigh Lions’ grotto (book through their Facebook page), children’s activities in the centre from 4pm to 5pm, choirs in the Library Gardens from 6pm to 7pm, free mulled wine and mince pies, and late shopping. Elm Road, the Broadway up to Leighton Avenue, Broadway West and Rectory Grove are closed to traffic from 3pm to 8pm (Leigh-on-Sea Town Council). One directory lists Light Up Leigh on Saturday 28 November; the town council, which runs it, gives Friday 27 November. Our Light Up Leigh page lists the closed roads and the nearest car parks.
  • Saturday 12 December, 10am to 3pm: Folk & Bespoke Artisan Craft Fair, a second fair of handmade gifts (Visit Southend).

No entry price is published for any of them.

High Street, Saturday 14 November

Southend City BID’s Christmas in the City fills the city centre on the day the lights go on. Its schedule puts an artisan market across the High Street and in The Victoria Centre from 9am, with stalls and family rides until 6.30pm; the main stage, hosted by BBC Essex, opens at 12pm; Sonny Green switches on the lights at 6pm in Victoria Circus; and the seafront fireworks are at 7.30pm (Southend City BID; 6 November announcement). It is free. Our Christmas lights switch-on page has the full day and where to park.

The Victoria Centre: three more markets

Southend City BID’s Christmas brochure lists three more markets in the city centre after the switch-on (Southend City BID, Christmas brochure):

  • Big Up Southend, Saturday 28 November and Saturday 12 December, 11am to 4pm. Small local businesses on the first floor of The Victoria Centre, selling handmade and locally sourced gifts.
  • Deck the Malls, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, 11am to 5pm. A pop-up festive market in The Victoria Centre, with live performances and a free meet and greet with Father Christmas. No booking needed.
  • Mistletoe Magic and Martinis, Sunday 6 December, The Alex Bar. Market stalls, a Santa’s grotto, festive music, children’s activities, hot chocolate and winter cocktails. No times are published.

Westcliff, Friday 20 November

Festive Friday on Hamlet Court Road starts at 4pm. The listing promises a tree light switch-on, festive food and drink, choirs and entertainers, a Santa’s grotto and gifts, a children’s trail and late-night shopping in the road’s businesses (Visit Southend). It is run by the Hamlet Court Calling community group, which takes volunteers at info@hamletcourtcalling.org. No finishing time or road closure has been published.

Two on Saturday 5 December

Frostbite, the fifth Southchurch Christmas Experience, runs along Southchurch Road between Belle Vue Road and Surbiton Road from 11.45am to 4.30pm. The street’s independent traders take part, with extra stalls outside some of the shops selling Christmas gifts and Santa at South Street Coffee (Visit Southend).

The Trust Links Christmas Fayre is at 47 Fairfax Drive, Westcliff, SS0 9AG, from 11am to 2pm. It has handmade crafts and local stalls, festive food and drink, live music and a Santa’s grotto (Visit Southend).

Grumpy’s Diner, Thursday 10 December

Grumpy’s Diner at 759 Southchurch Road holds an evening Christmas market from 6pm to 9pm, with Christmas stalls, gifts and stocking fillers, food and festive music (Visit Southend).

Christmas markets near Southend

Two more are a short drive away in Rochford district:

  • Wednesday 25 November: an Essex Makers Markets Christmas evening of handmade stalls at the Harvester in Rayleigh. No times are published (Visit Essex).
  • Sunday 6 December, 11am to 4pm: the Indoor Christmas Market at The Rayleigh Club, which Visit Essex lists under Hullbridge (Visit Essex).

For a big continental-style market, a steam-hauled charter train leaves Southend Central for Chester Christmas Market on Thursday 19 November. Our Chester steam train page has the times and fares.

Getting there

Our parking in Southend page has car park charges, and Southend roadworks and travel lists closures that week.

Still to be confirmed

  • The stallholders at each market. None of the organisers has published a list.
  • A finishing time for Westcliff’s Festive Friday, and the times for Mistletoe Magic and Martinis.

If you are running a Christmas market or fayre in Southend, Leigh, Westcliff or Shoeburyness, email hello@southendtoday.co.uk and we will add it.

Sources