This week's best shopping events

Cue the jingle bells for your office commute: the beloved annual Martin Place Christmas Markets are back for 2025, kicking off on Thursday, November 27 and ending on Saturday, December 20. The merry CBD markets will then be held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday (and on one Sunday, November 30) leading up to Christmas (AKA the biggest day in Mariah Carey’s calendar). It's your chance to get gifts for your loved ones and support small businesses at the same time. How’s that for Christmas cheer? From ripe and juicy cherries to festive wreaths, deliciously scented candles, boutique wines, Christmas puddings, handcrafted jewellery and chic homewares, these markets are stacked with excellent stalls and passionate stallholders, set to bring festival cheer to even the most Grinch-identifying CBD worker. This year, they will also introduce a washable service system in partnership with Betizen, aiming to significantly reduce single-use waste.  You’ll find the Christmas markets in the pedestrian boulevard of Martin Place in the heart of the city – just above the huge Martin Place metro station.Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox. Get in the festive spirit with these Christmas markets running all throughout the November and December.

The throughline between the city and the Eastern Suburbs is on track for some fresh energy. And starting this spring, Taylor Square will host two new weekly markets designed to lure back foot traffic and inject some buzz into one of Sydney’s most iconic (and recently struggling) strips.RECOMMENDED READ: These are the best markets in SydneyFrom October 31, you’ll be able to head down to Oxford Street on Friday nights (from 5pm until 10pm) for a lively mix of food stalls, retail vendors and a shared licensed area with the Oxford Hotel – meaning you can enjoy a street food-style feed from a market stall and a glass of wine to match, all in the same spot. Then, beginning Saturday, November 8, the focus will shift to fresh produce – with a Saturday morning farmers’ market running from 8am until 2pm every week. The new weekly events will be operated by Organic Food Markets – the crew already behind the beloved Marrickville and Kings Cross markets – and mark a deliberate step in the City of Sydney’s long-term push to revive Oxford Street.Once the beating heart of queer nightlife in the Harbour City, the high street has seen more than its fair share of empty shopfronts and shuttered venues in recent years – largely as a result of the (now reversed) lockout laws. Thankfully, there are signs of a turning tide – with the opening of Qtopia queer museum, the soon-to-arrive Oxford and Foley development (the huge development mentioned above) and the launch of the multi-venue 25 Hours...

It’s imperative that you do not eat before you visit the Carriageworks Farmers Markets. You’ll want to save maximum belly space for your personal version of The Bachelorette where you decide who gets your dollars and what delicious produce gets to come home with you. Maybe you like something soupy and savoury first thing? In that case head to Bar Pho for a traditional Vietnamese start to the day. On the veggie train? Hit up Keppos St Kitchen for a falafel breakfast, or head to Food Farm for a classic bacon and egg roll.Once the hounds of your hunger have been quieted it’s time to prepare for your next meal, or seven. Stock up on artisan cheese from Leaning Oak, smoked salmon from Brilliant Foods and Sydney’s favourite sourdough from AP Bakery and brunch is sorted. You can spend a whole lot of money if you want to here, but equally you could just grab a kombucha on tap from Herbs of Life and find a chair for some of the best dog-watching in the city.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel tips and city insights, straight to your inbox. Hungry for more? Look at our list of the best markets in Sydney – produce or otherwise. 

Every Friday from 5pm, Chinatown transforms into a vibrant night market selling Asian street food, desserts and gifts. After a month-long closure, the popular night fest is back, now in a temporary new location – next to Paddy’s Market Light Rail stop. RELATED READ: These are the best Chinese restaurants in Sydney. Chinatown Night Market attracts a wide mix of visitors, from tourists and homesick international students to the post-work crowd, who you’ll find wisely padding their stomachs with cumin lamb skewers before hitting the next bar. During peak times, it can get a bit squishy, but the hustle and bustle is also what makes it fun. A number of Chinatown stalwarts run stalls each week, and you'll find everything from yum cha favourites like har gow and mango pancakes to fluffy roti canai. As tempting as those options might be, ration stomach space for the takoyaki – a Japanese savoury doughnut‑hole snack filled with seafood – or dragon beard candy and potato chips on a stick. You’ll also find stalls selling clothes and sunglasses, jewellery and phone cases. On some weeks, there’s even a Scientology stall offering “free stress tests” to the curious. There are no artisanal goods, but more mass-produced, imported products à la Paddy’s Markets downstream. Find out more here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: These are the best things to do in Sydney this weekend Read more about...

Every Saturday, more than 100 stalls line the grounds of Paddington Uniting Church and the neighbouring public school selling Australian-made fashion, handmade crockery and metal costume jewellery. The market has been operating on the same day since 1973, and the all-weather event is a profitable fundraiser for the church. Many of the stallholders return week on week, like the elderly Japanese couple selling Bonsai trees and the Spanish shoemakers selling espadrilles. It’s predominantly an art, clothing and design market – and alongside the kitsch bric-à-brac and Australiana-print tea towels you’ll find straw hats from local milliners and soft Tunisian-made ‘Turkish’ towels from young Eastern Suburb entrepreneurs. Antique, vinyl and vintage stalls are few and far between, but leather satchels, beach photography prints and patterned baby rompers are two a penny. On a hot day locals gather at the shaded tables and stools by the snack stalls. Turkish women hand roll yufka dough at the gözleme tent and vegetables are blitzed in a blender at the fresh juice stand. Chin’s Laksa stall, proudly MSG and gluten free, is a popular choice – as are the vegan cookies and sourdough scones on offer at the bakery stalls. It has a bohemian flair compared to its Oxford Street location and customers joyfully take up fortune readings, as well as reiki and Japanese massage. It’s an oddball mix, but one that works strangely well in an area known for its designer boutiques and gentrified pubs....

Looking for a wholesome weekend activity that immerses you in French culture without the hefty plane fare? Oui, oui!  Well, put on your best beret and hop on over to Le Marché – French Markets at the Entertainment Quarter in the heart of Sydney. Spend a leisurely Sunday morning walking through more than 45 market stalls of French delights. From choux buns and Champagne to colourful berets and escargot, there is an abundance of French items to satisfy even the fussiest shopper. Très bien! Stock up your pantry at Le Marché’s culinary corner, a pocket of the market that you might liken to a French supermarket. Fill your baskets and mouths with farm-fresh eggs, truffles, baked treats, duck confit and, of course, all the French cheese your heart desires. Practise your high school French (which you’ve probably forgotten, except for 'bonjour') on the friendly artisans selling striped Breton t-shirts, colourful berets, linen tablecloths, straw baskets and more. Now we don’t know about you, but devouring croissants, macarons and boeuf bourguignon sounds like heaven to us. At the Entertainment Quarter, you can celebrate all things French at these fabulous markets.  Explore Le Marché – French Markets on the first Sunday of every month at the Entertainment Quarter. Find out more via the website here.

Glebe may be famous for its weekly markets, but a few times a year something extra special pops up. Foley Park transforms into the Artisans Market Glebe on December 6 with a curated showcase of original, handmade Australian creations. It’s the perfect place to find Christmas gifts that are truly unique, sustainable and lovingly crafted by local makers. With more than 60 artisans offering homewares, jewellery, fashion, art and beauty products, you can have a chat with the creators and feel good knowing your purchase supports independent designers and local charities. Add in live music from 10am–3pm and you’ve got the loveliest way to shop local this festive season.

If Bondi Markets were a person, they would a) be very healthy, and b) wearing two (organic) hats. Each weekend, Bondi Public School plays host to two different markets, with the Saturday edition bringing the Bondi Farmer's Market, and the Sunday bringing general marketware, fashion and vintage goods.  The Farmer's Market is an excellent way to kick off your weekend, with the old primary school playground playing host to a variety of lush local produce stalls, freshly fried fritters and brunchy delights a' plenty. There’s also doggy ‘parking’, live acoustic music and pop-up yoga classes on the lawn, with the festivities going until 5pm. In inclement weather the markets still go ahead, but often with reduced stalls. They also don’t open until 9am, so if you’re an early bird, pop across to the beach first for a walk or swim. Once you stock your fridge on Saturday, you can head back again on Sunday for the general fashion and market extravganza that kicks off from 10am to 4pm. Peruse the stalls for vintage finds, sustainable swimwear, delectable market eats and hidden treasures, all within close viewing distance of Sydney's most polarising beach. 

You’ll find massive variety among the 200 stalls that take over Glebe Public School each Saturday morning, but it’s the fashion ones that attract most visitors. There are rows upon rows of eccentric and colourful vintage clothes, alongside hand-crafted jewellery, accessories and new clothing designed by locals. There are vintage stalls scattered all around the market, but the smaller section just off Derby Lane at the back of the school is a goldmine and a slightly quieter place to scour through racks and try things on.  Even if you’re not searching for a new wardrobe, the Markets at Glebe is a great place to grab some lunch and relax on the school lawns where live musicians serenade the crowd. The lane of food stalls – just opposite the lawn – has old market favourites, as well as more high-end offerings. Want to market all day long? Hop, skip and jump over to Rozelle for some more treasures.

Fans of expertly curated market events such as the Finders Keepers will be happy to know there is a bi-monthly market offering a comparable experience a stone’s throw from Luna Park. The second Sunday of every month sees the art, design and fashion iteration of Kirribilli’s historic (est 1976) markets, centred on the weather-proof location of the Burton Street Tunnel right under Milsons Point Train station.  You’ll find quirky millinery by Nitascraft, hilarious knitted parrots, octopuses and Barbie outfits by Irene, and cool laser-etched wooden phone cases by Bare-wood. An antiques corner features groovy typewriters from the 1960s and several stalls offer funny and handmade greeting cards. Vintage spoons are refashioned as bracelets, and if you’ve ever hankered after a large photographic portrait of a wombat, you can get it here – the place is a goldmine for non-tacky Sydney souvenirs. On the last Saturday of the month is the general and fashion market, where punters have been known to snap up luxurious, one-of-a-kind finds from labels like Gucci, Zimmermann and Acne, thanks to the well-heeled crowds selling their wares. Arrival by train is recommended as parking is expensive and hard to come by.  There is an excellent food court area where you can get a roast pork roll, quesadillas, churros, gözleme, paella, blynis, dim sum, banh mi or gelato and sit down undercover to eat them while watching a talented teenage girl reinventing ‘Sweet Child ‘o Mine’. Afterwards, head...