Byron Bay & Bangalow Markets: The Complete Calendar

The Byron Bay Community Market runs on the first Sunday of every month from 8am, with an extra market on the third Sunday in December and January only. It is currently held on the Main Beach foreshore on Bay Street rather than its usual home at Butler Street Reserve, because of the town-centre drainage works — and no return date has been announced.

The Bangalow Market is held on the fourth Sunday of every month, 8am to 2:30pm, at the Bangalow Showgrounds in the middle of the village. It has been running since 1982, carries more than 320 stalls, and parking on site is $2.

In the Northern Rivers as a whole, yes — there is a significant market somewhere every Sunday of the month, and often on Saturdays too. In Byron Bay town specifically, no: the Community Market is monthly. But the Byron Farmers Market runs every Thursday morning, and the Byron Twilight Market runs Saturday evenings through the warmer months.

Bangalow Market, on the fourth Sunday, with more than 320 stalls under the camphor laurels at the showgrounds. Many locals rate it above the Byron market for homewares, design and food. The Channon Craft Market, on the second Sunday, is the other giant at 220-plus stalls, though it is a 45 to 50 minute drive inland.

Yes. All the markets on this page are free to walk into. What costs money is parking — Byron Shire Council charges $5 per hour capped at $25 a day in the Byron Bay CBD and council car parks, 9am to 6pm seven days. Bangalow Showgrounds charges a flat $2 on market day.

Every Thursday, 7am to 11am, at Butler Street Reserve in Byron Bay. It is one of Australia's largest and longest-running farmers markets and it is a genuine producers' market rather than a craft market — produce, meat, eggs, cheese, bread and seafood. It was not affected by the Community Market's relocation.

A Saturday evening market at Railway Park on Jonson Street, running roughly 4pm to 9pm through the warmer months — broadly October to Easter. It is also referred to as the Byron Artisan Market, and the two names appear to describe the same event. Because the season shifts year to year, check with the Byron Community Centre on (02) 6685 6807 before planning around it.

Yes, if the dates line up. The Bangalow Market on the fourth Sunday is the easiest to combine, because our Byron Bay day trips already stop in Bangalow in the afternoon and we time that stop around the market where the schedule allows. The Byron Community Market on the first Sunday falls inside your free time in town. Tell us at booking if a market is your reason for going.

Generally yes — these are long-established markets with committed stallholders, and light rain barely dents them. Extreme weather is a different matter and organisers will occasionally cancel or relocate at short notice, so check the market's own page or social media on the morning if the forecast is genuinely bad.

It varies by market and it is worth checking individually. The Bangalow Farmers Market at Piccabeen Park is explicitly dog-friendly for leashed dogs. Note that dogs are not permitted anywhere in the Walgun Cape Byron State Conservation Area, so a market visit and the lighthouse walk cannot be combined with a dog in tow.

Early. For the monthly Sunday markets, between 8am and 9:30am is the sweet spot — the stalls are all set up, the good stock is still there, and you can still park. For the weekly farmers markets, which mostly run 7am to 11am, arriving after 10am means picking over what is left.

Card is widely accepted these days, particularly at the bigger markets, but a number of smaller stallholders are still cash-preferred or cash-only and mobile reception at some of the hinterland venues is unreliable. Bring some cash and you will not be caught out.