Horsham Christmas markets 2026: Carfax Sundays from 6 Dec

Horsham does not have a single big Christmas market weekend. Instead the town’s two market operators add extra days through December, so there is a market in the town centre every day from Sunday 20 to Thursday 24 December. Both have now published their 2026 dates.

The quick answer

• Carfax (Food Rocks): the usual Thursday, Friday and Saturday market, 9am to 4pm, plus extra days on Sundays 6, 13 and 20 December, Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December, Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.
• West Street (Coden Events): Christmas markets every Wednesday and Saturday from 2 to 26 December, plus Monday 21, Tuesday 22 and Sunday 27 December.
• Launch night: on Friday 20 November the Carfax market moves to the Forum, 4pm to 9pm, for the Christmas Launch Party.
• No market on Christmas Day (Friday 25 December) or New Year’s Eve (Thursday 31 December) in the Carfax.

Every date in December

Sources: Food Rocks, Christmas at the market and Coden Events, West Street Entrepreneurs Markets. Coden Events lists its Christmas dates without separate times; its West Street markets normally run from 9am to 5pm.

The Carfax market in December

Food Rocks, which runs the Carfax market for Horsham District Council, says its Christmas market brings “seasonal produce, gifts from local makers and festive street food in the Carfax, with extra market days in the run-up to Christmas”. The regular market carries on every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 4pm, and the extra days are Sundays 6, 13 and 20 December, Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December, Christmas Eve and a Boxing Day market on Saturday 26 December. There is no market on Christmas Day or on Thursday 31 December (Food Rocks, Christmas at the market).

On Friday 18 December the council’s Friday Lates Christmas special, Feliz Navidad, brings Beato Burrito to the Carfax Bandstand from 6pm to 8pm (Horsham District Council, Friday Lates).

Traders can still apply: a Christmas market day costs £50 for a 3m pitch, or £55 for street food, through Food Rocks on 01403 458448.

The launch party market, Friday 20 November

The Christmas season opens with the Christmas Launch Party on Friday 20 November. For that evening the Carfax market moves to the Forum, from 4pm to 9pm, with art, craft and local produce and “every stall lit and decorated” (Food Rocks, launch party). The wider party, with the lights, live music, a silent disco and face painting, runs from 4pm to 8pm according to the organisers’ poster; the switch-on time is not out yet. It is all on our Horsham Christmas lights page.

West Street: Wednesdays and Saturdays

Coden Events runs the West Street Entrepreneurs Market every Wednesday and Saturday, and an arts and crafts market on the last Sunday of the month, normally 9am to 5pm. Its Christmas 2026 dates are every Wednesday and Saturday from Wednesday 2 to Saturday 26 December, with extra days on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 December and Sunday 27 December, selling crafts, gifts, flowers, food and drink (Coden Events).

Piries Place’s monthly vegan market does not run in December, according to the council’s markets page (Horsham District Council, district markets).

Across the district

Last year the council’s “Buy Local, Gift Happy” campaign backed festive markets and events in Billingshurst, Henfield, Pulborough, Southwater, Steyning and Storrington (Horsham District Council, 7 November 2025). Its Christmas markets page still says the 2026 information will appear “from Autumn 2026” (Horsham District Council, Christmas markets and events). Until it does, the only firm December dates outside Horsham are the regular monthly markets on the council’s list:

• Steyning Farmers Market, first Saturday of the month in the High Street car park: Saturday 5 December.
• Billingshurst Artisan Market, third Sunday in the Six Bells car park: Sunday 20 December.

We will add the district’s Christmas fairs and festive afternoons when they are announced.

Still to be announced

• Horsham Fairtrade Christmas Market. Fairtrade Horsham’s events page lists no 2026 date yet (Fairtrade Horsham).
• Bohunt School Horsham Christmas Market. The school says more information is “coming very, very soon” and is taking stall applications (Bohunt Horsham).
• Horsham Artists Christmas Market. Last year it ran over two weekends, 22 and 23 November and 6 and 7 December 2025; the group has not posted 2026 dates (Horsham Artists).

For a Christmas evening out of town, Leonardslee Lights runs on selected nights from 27 November.

Parking and getting there

The Carfax and West Street are both in the pedestrianised centre. Swan Walk and Piries Place are the closest multi-storeys and are open 24 hours; every car park’s rates are on our Horsham parking page. Check our Horsham roadworks and travel page for rail and road works before Christmas journeys.

FAQs

Is there a Christmas market in Horsham in 2026?

Yes. The Carfax market adds Christmas market days on Sundays 6, 13 and 20 December and from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December, and West Street runs Christmas markets every Wednesday and Saturday from 2 to 26 December.

What time does the Horsham Christmas market open?

The Carfax market runs from 9am to 4pm. West Street markets normally run from 9am to 5pm.

Is Horsham market open on Boxing Day?

Yes. Food Rocks holds a Boxing Day market in the Carfax on Saturday 26 December, and West Street trades that day too.

Is there a market on Christmas Eve?

Yes, in the Carfax on Thursday 24 December.

Sources

• Food Rocks, Christmas at the market and Christmas Launch Party
• Coden Events, West Street Entrepreneurs Markets
• Horsham District Council, district markets, Christmas markets and events and Friday Lates
• Fairtrade Horsham, events; Bohunt Horsham, Christmas Market; Horsham Artists, Christmas Market

Checked against each organiser’s own page on 6 October 2026.