Christmas Markets in South Shields

South Shields does not have a month-long Christmas market of the kind Newcastle puts up around the Monument. What it does have is a handful of genuinely local options, a Saturday market that keeps trading right up to Christmas, and something no other town on the coast can offer: a seven-minute ferry to one of the best small Christmas markets on Tyneside.

Here is what is confirmed for Christmas 2026 so far, and what is worth keeping an eye on.

Hedworth Hall Twilight Christmas Market

The one dedicated Christmas market in the town itself this year is an evening one. Hedworth Hall on Dean Road in Westoe is hosting a Twilight Christmas Market on Thursday 10 December 2026, 5pm to 9pm, with free entry.

The organiser's listing promises seasonal stalls, food and drink, and mediums and tarot readers alongside the gift stalls. The Victorian hall, with its high ceilings, suits an indoor evening market, and the bar and restaurant are on hand if you want to stay on afterwards. The details come from the organiser's own listing, so check closer to the date before you set off.

Best for:

Best for: an after-work browse. A weeknight evening market under a roof avoids both the Saturday crowds and the weather.

South Shields Market through December

South Shields Market in the Market Place is not a Christmas market as such, but it is the most reliable place in town to shop from stalls in December. Since July the Saturday market has been run as a pilot by independent operator Local Heroes, with local producers, independent traders and street food alongside the long-standing stallholders. The pilot runs to the end of 2026, so every Saturday in December is covered, from 9am to 3pm.

No special Christmas editions have been announced for 2026. The Market Place has hosted festive market days in previous years, so it is worth watching South Tyneside Council's events pages. We covered the change of operator in our story on the new operator at South Shields Market.

While you are in the Market Place, The Word runs a free festive programme of family events, talks and carols through December. Our events calendar lists the dates as they are confirmed.

Best for:

Best for: food, stocking fillers and a coffee in the square on a December Saturday morning.

The Customs House Christmas Fayre

The Customs House on Mill Dam has made a Christmas fayre a regular fixture, usually over a weekend in mid to late November, with local makers and crafters filling the building and free entry. The 2026 date had not been announced when we checked in October, so keep an eye on the theatre's website and box office.

If you are going to the pantomime or a December show, it is a pleasant riverside stop either way: the bar looks out across the Tyne to North Shields.

North Shields Christmas Market, across the river

This is the one to plan a day around. North Shields Christmas Market is on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026, in and around Northumberland Square and Howard Street, with free entry. Visit North Tyneside lists around 70 stalls selling festive gifts, crafts, food and drink, with fairground rides around the square. Local churches and the Salvation Army open the market at 10am on the Saturday. Full times and the entertainment programme have not been published yet.

The easy way there is the Shields Ferry from the landing by Market Place. The crossing takes about seven minutes and the square is a short walk uphill from the North Shields landing, which makes it quicker than driving round through the tunnel. Our sister site has a full guide to Christmas markets in North Shields.

Best for:

Best for: the proper Christmas market feel, with a ferry crossing thrown in.

Jarrow Hall

Jarrow Hall in Jarrow has hosted a free Christmas fair with craft, jewellery, decoration and food stalls in previous years. Nothing has been announced for 2026 yet, so treat it as one to check rather than one to plan around. It is a short Metro ride from South Shields to Bede station.

Bigger markets within reach

Newcastle Christmas Market usually runs from mid-November until just before Christmas around Grey's Monument, Grey Street and Grainger Street. The 2026 dates have not been confirmed by the organisers yet, so check NewcastleGateshead before you go. The Metro from South Shields takes around half an hour to Monument.

Durham Christmas Festival is confirmed for Friday 4 to Sunday 6 December 2026, with the Craft and Producers' Marquee on Palace Green. The marquee is ticketed and booking ahead is advised. See our sister site's guide to Christmas markets in Durham for the detail.

For the wider festive calendar, including pantomimes, light trails and Santa specials, see Christmas in the North East.

Making a day of it

A December Saturday can take in the Market Place in the morning, the ferry to North Shields at lunchtime on the market weekend, and back to Ocean Road for dinner. Closer to home, Arbeia Roman Fort has run candlelit tours in December, which make an unusual end to a day of shopping; check Tyne and Wear Museums for times and booking.

What is not confirmed yet

As of 12 October 2026, the following had not been published:

• Any Christmas market in the Market Place, or special festive editions of the Saturday market
• The Customs House Christmas Fayre date
• A Jarrow Hall Christmas fair
• Newcastle Christmas Market dates, and North Shields Christmas Market opening times

We will update this guide as dates are announced.

Know a South Shields Christmas fair or makers' market we have missed? Get in touch.