No 2026 Croydon Christmas market is announced yet. The last two opened in December and were announced after opening. Coulsdon's runs early December.

No Croydon Christmas market has been announced for 2026, as of 6 October. Croydon BID’s events calendar, the council’s newsroom and its Culture Croydon listings have nothing for a Christmas market this year. That is normal for Croydon rather than a sign it has been cancelled: the town centre market has changed name, venue and organiser each of the last two years, and both times it was announced in December, after it had opened.

The one Christmas market in the borough that does come round on a predictable date is Coulsdon’s Yuletide Magic on Brighton Road, held on the first Saturday of December. If the pattern holds, that is Saturday 5 December 2026, though the organisers have not said so yet.

The short answer

Market 2026 status Last time it ran
Town centre (Centrale or Whitgift) Not announced Made By Croydon, Centrale, December 2025 to 24 December
Coulsdon’s Yuletide Magic Not announced Sat 6 December 2025, 11am to 7pm, Brighton Road
Purley Christmas Market Not announced Sat 25 November 2023, Purley High Street
Surrey Street Trades all year Not a seasonal market

The town centre market changes every year

2025: Made By Croydon, Centrale. The council opened its new Creative Enterprise Zone space on the lower ground floor of Croydon Centrale, 21 North End, CR0 1TY, and the first thing it hosted was Made By Croydon, a Christmas market of local art and gifts run by the newly formed Croydon Creative Network. The council described it as running for four weeks, open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, until 24 December, and it listed handmade jewellery, skincare, art prints, festive food gifts and accessories among the stock. The council announced it on 3 December 2025, with the market already trading. (Croydon Council, 3 December 2025)

2024: Whitgift Christmas Market, Whitgift Square. It ran 14 to 24 December, with local makers selling handmade cards, vegan cakes and art, and free daily workshops for families. Croydon BID listed it in its Christmas round-up on 2 December 2024. (Croydon BID, 2 December 2024)

The Creative Enterprise Zone space at Centrale is still in use this autumn: Croydon BID lists a youth event there, Models of Diversity’s Stars of Tomorrow, on 10 October 2026. (Croydon BID) Whether it hosts a second Made By Croydon is not yet known. Nobody has said so, and we are not assuming it.

Coulsdon’s Yuletide Magic

The biggest Christmas market in the borough with a regular date. It is run by the Coulsdon Community Partnership along Brighton Road in Coulsdon. In 2025 it ran on Saturday 6 December, 11am to 7pm, with a holiday market of local makers and traders, a funfair, and Santa’s grotto at the Fine Toad, 35 Chipstead Valley Road, CR5 2RB, which you enter from the rear. Grotto places were ticketed through the partnership’s website. (Coulsdon Community Partnership: Yuletide Magic 2025)

On 6 October the partnership’s events page still describes the 2025 programme, so 2026 has not been announced. The event fell on the first Saturday of December in 2022, 2023 and 2025. On that pattern the 2026 date would be Saturday 5 December, but that is our arithmetic, not the organiser’s announcement. (Coulsdon Community Partnership: events)

Our Croydon Christmas lights page has more on Coulsdon and the other district switch-ons.

Purley

Purley BID hosted a Purley Christmas Market on Saturday 25 November 2023, 12pm to 4pm, at 50 High Street, CR8 2AA, with food, arts and crafts stalls and entertainment. It announced it on 31 October that year. (Purley BID, 31 October 2023) Its Christmas posts in 2024 and 2025 were about its online advent calendar, not a market, and its Christmas page lists a market only among things it has done “over the years”. (Purley BID: Christmas in Purley) Treat a 2026 Purley market as unlikely unless the BID announces one, which it would do by early November on its 2023 timing.

What else is on in the town centre at Christmas

In 2025 Centrale and The Whitgift ran Santa’s Christmas Skyride at Centrale and a free Giant Christmas Pudding photo installation at The Whitgift, both from 29 November to 24 December. Croydon BID published that programme on 10 November 2025, so expect this year’s around the second week of November. (Croydon BID, 10 November 2025)

The council’s own A Very Croydon Christmas weekend ran 5 to 7 December 2025 in and around the Croydon Clocktower, with free crafts, outdoor performances and children’s activities, plus Carol Ceilidh concerts at £2 and £5 on the Friday. It is an arts weekend rather than a market. (Culture Croydon: A Very Croydon Christmas)

Surrey Street market trades through December as it does all year. It does not turn into a Christmas market. The council says it trades seven days a week. (Croydon Council: Surrey Street Market)

Cinderella opens at Fairfield Halls on 11 December: our Croydon pantomime page has every performance.

Getting there

Centrale and the Whitgift are a short walk from West Croydon and East Croydon stations. Any road closure for Yuletide Magic on Brighton Road would be published nearer the day. Our parking in Croydon page has the council’s tariffs, and roadworks and travel covers closures on the approach.

When this page will change

Croydon’s market announcements have landed late every year. We will check Croydon BID, the council, Centrale and the Coulsdon Community Partnership through November and add dates, opening times and stall details here as soon as any organiser publishes them.

Sources