SOLAS Craft Market

What to Expect

On the first Sunday of every month, SOLAS Eco Garden Centre on the Lea Road in Portarlington sets up over 25 stalls of handmade jewellery, home decor, collectables and vintage finds. It is a craft and vintage market rather than a food market, run at the same eco-built garden centre, made largely from repurposed shipping containers and reclaimed materials, that also hosts the site’s separate car boot sale and third-Sunday vintage market. The organisers describe it as a day for anyone who “loves creativity, sustainability and one-of-a-kind gems,” and the venue’s cafe, greenhouse and gift shop mean there is plenty to browse beyond the market stalls themselves. Local makers and small producers use the market to sell directly to shoppers, and the mix of stalls changes from month to month depending on who has booked a table.

Good to Know

• Date: first Sunday of every month, next 6 September 2026
• Time: 11:00am to 4:00pm
• Venue: SOLAS Eco Garden Centre, Lea Road, Portarlington, Co. Laois (Eircode R32 RPX8)
• Price: free entry for visitors
• Trading enquiries: events@solaseco.ie
• Recurs monthly, first Sunday of the month, year-round
• SOLAS also runs a separate monthly vintage market on the third Sunday and a car boot sale at the same venue; check the venue’s own listings for those dates

Getting There

Portarlington sits on the Laois-Offaly border, on the R420 about 12km from the M7 motorway at Monasterevin (junction 14). Irish Rail’s Dublin Heuston to Portlaoise and Limerick line stops in the town, a short walk or quick taxi from the garden centre. Free parking is available on site.

While You’re in Portarlington

Portarlington’s Huguenot heritage and its setting on the River Barrow make it worth a longer stop beyond the market. There is more to see in Portarlington and across Co. Laois.