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markets · Saturday 4 July 2026 · 11:00am 
Carrickfergus Monthly Artisan Market
At Market Place · Market Place, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, BT38 7AW
At Market Place · Market Place, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, BT38 7AW
Every first Saturday from February through November, Market Place in Carrickfergus fills with producers and makers selling food, handcrafted goods, and locally made gifts. The Carrickfergus Monthly Artisan Market has been running long enough to celebrate a fifth birthday, organised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and free to attend. It suits anyone who wants to browse unhurried on a Saturday morning - families, visitors to the castle, locals stocking up on good bread or an unusual gift.
The market runs from 11am to 3pm and draws a range of stalls: local food producers alongside artisan craftspeople selling handmade work. Because it is a proper outdoor market rather than a pop-up, you can expect a consistent mix each month - baked goods, preserves, and seasonal produce sitting alongside ceramics, jewellery, textiles, and other handcrafted items. The setting in Market Place is right in the town centre, a short walk from Carrickfergus Castle, which gives it a natural footfall from visitors already in the area. When the weather turns, the market moves indoors to Carrickfergus Town Hall, so it goes ahead regardless of conditions.
Carrickfergus sits on the northern shore of Belfast Lough, about 18 km north of Belfast city centre on the A2 coastal road. By rail, Carrickfergus station is on the Belfast - Larne line with regular services from Belfast Great Victoria Street and Belfast Central; the journey takes around 25 to 30 minutes. The town centre and Market Place are a short walk from the station. If you are driving, there is pay-and-display parking available in the town centre close to Market Place; early Saturday morning tends to be easier for spaces than later in the day.
The market sits minutes from Carrickfergus Castle, one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland and well worth the visit before or after you browse the stalls. The nearby marina and seafront give the town a pleasant feel for a half-day out. There is more to see in Carrickfergus and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Market Place in Carrickfergus? Antrim has plenty more to see. Read the Carrickfergus area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.