Emporium Market

28/03/2025

And that’s a wrap on our first season of Emporium. Unfortunately, Monday’s market has been canceled due to conditions that are expected to prevent the successful docking of the ship. It’s a shame to end the season this way, but as many of you know, this year has been anything but smooth sailing.

2025 has so far been tough for small business. Many of our incredible stallholders have shared that it’s been their hardest year yet, and I’ve certainly felt the weight of those challenges alongside them. On top of the current tough economic climate, we also faced 50% of our planned market dates being canceled due to circumstances beyond our control.

But even through the setbacks, we’ve had some major wins. Emporium became the first to successfully trial the cruise market concept after spending a year working closely with the relevant bodies to secure approval. We also proudly pioneered the activation of the Workshop Way space at the Museum, opening the door for future businesses to utilise this space.

And while it wasn’t always easy, we saw some brilliant moments. Some stallholders reported sales of up to $900 on market days, while others gained new business connections that have grown beyond Emporium. Even more importantly, we’ve built a thriving community — a place where seasoned makers and those new to the market scene could come together, exchange ideas, and grow their businesses.

This sense of collaboration is what Emporium has always been about. Moving forward, the vision remains the same: to create a vibrant, diverse meeting place focused towards welcoming tourists and celebrating the creative spirit of the Hunter region. I’m excited to take what we’ve learned from this first season and build something even stronger for the 25/26 tourism season.

To all our stallholders — thank you for your resilience, creativity, and unwavering support. You are what makes Emporium special, and I’m so grateful to have had you on this journey.

Thank you again to everyone who has supported Emporium. Here’s to even brighter days ahead!

27/03/2025

See you soon!

We have some great stallholders down at today, find us on the harbour side undercover via the workshop way shade sails.

It’s a small market today, but our goal is to be a gathering place for those from out of town where they can get a taste of Newy and mingle with some of our best creators. The Hunter region has an incredible talent and over time we hope to develop a unique meeting place.



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and more.

27/03/2025

Emporium is back tomorrow. ☀️

⏰9am - 2pm
📍Newcastle Museum, under the workshop way sails

We are still very much a new event, that is learning with every market day and evolving as we go. This is our second last market day for the 24/25 tourist season before we pause until November when the 25/26 season kicks off.

Our events currently coincide with cruise ship docking dates and aim to showcase unique creators from the Hunter Region. So if your a local looking for something different for lunch or a visitor looking to take home a bit of Newcastle, be sure to stop by.

Tomorrow we have .dogs for your lunch needs. As well as & to complement.

26/02/2025

I always think it’s important to share the good and the bad, as well as being honest, so here it is—our last two markets weren’t great.

Why? Honestly, we can only guess.
I think it had a lot to do with the cruise ships being slightly smaller and more premium, which meant fewer guests wanted to get off. I hadn’t predicted that—whenever I’m on holiday, I’m off at every port!
We also saw less support from locals. Yesterday was better than last Friday, but overall, the turnout was lower. But times are tough—my home loan is over 7% interest right now, so I completely get it.

That being said, I’m still so passionate about what we’re building here. Newcastle deserves places where creativity thrives, where small businesses can connect with locals and visitors alike. Not every market will be a hit, but I’m in this for the long haul. If you love what we’re doing, the best way to support us is to show up when you can, spread the word, and keep the local love alive.

Jan-Feb is known in the market world to be slow too, the after Christmas is often difficult for creatives. So we are crossing our fingers that when we return in March for our final markets of this cruise season that we are back to normal.

I also just want to take a moment to shout out the incredible stallholders who have been on this journey with me, especially those who have shown up time and time again since we launched. Your dedication, creativity, and passion make this market what it is, and I’m beyond grateful for each and every one of you. Big love to you all!

We’ll be back at it again soon with 3 market dates planned for March. The first is Saturday the 22nd - hope to see you there!

25/02/2025

Weekday Market Day in Newcastle CBD - Today!

We’re back in the heart of Newcastle for a Weekday Market Day, bringing together a vibrant community of local makers, creatives, and small businesses!

Drop by on your lunch break, on your way to work, or if you’re lucky enough to have the day off. Stroll through a unique mix of stalls featuring handmade goods, delicious treats and artisan products—all while supporting passionate local creators.

This market is more than just a shopping stop—it’s a space to connect, discover, and celebrate our community. Whether you’re a regular or visiting for the first time, we can’t wait to welcome you. Come say hello, meet the makers, and be part of the growing movement that keeps Newcastle’s creative scene thriving!

25/02/2025

Weekday Market Day in Newcastle CBD - Today!

We’re back in the heart of Newcastle for a Weekday Market Day, bringing together a vibrant community of local makers, creatives, and small businesses!

Drop by on your lunch break, on your way to work, or if you're lucky enough to have the day off. Stroll through a unique mix of stalls featuring handmade goods, delicious treats and artisan products—all while supporting passionate local creators.

This market is more than just a shopping stop—it’s a space to connect, discover, and celebrate our community. Whether you're a regular or visiting for the first time, we can’t wait to welcome you. Come say hello, meet the makers, and be part of the growing movement that keeps Newcastle’s creative scene thriving!

24/02/2025

We are back this Wednesday for our final Market in Feb.

We are so excited to have a bunch of New to Emporium stallholders joining us so be sure to come welcome the newest members of our community!

📅 Wednesday, 26th Jan
⏰ 9am - 2pm
📍Newcastle Museum, under the workshop way sails

23/02/2025

Two Markets in One Week! 🎉

What a whirlwind! We’re so grateful to all our incredible stallholders and every visitor who stopped by. Your support allows us to keep building this vibrant community space—thank you for being part of this placemaking journey!

See you at the next one!
We are back for our last Feb market next Wednesday.

20/02/2025

Check out Suzanne from S Squared Designs with Eileen & Bernard who visited Newcastle on Wednesday via Regent Cruises.

Swipe to see the goodies that Eileen took home with her.

We love seeing so many happy faces taking a little bit of creative Newcastle back to their slice of the world!

We are back TOMORROW from 9am - 2pm. Friday 21st Feb. see you there!

19/02/2025

We had a fantastic sunny day at Newcastle Museum today welcoming Princess Cruises HUGE ship Dimond Princess to Newcastle.

AND we are back on Friday to do it all again. This time we have Viking Cruises ship Viking Venus and we are stop one on their 28 day Sydney to Bangkok trip.

We have a completely different lineup of vendors so if your a local be sure to pop back in on your lunch breaks too!

See you then!

18/02/2025

On today!
✨ Midweek Market Break! ✨

Take a break and explore our weekday market – the perfect spot for lunch, local finds, and fresh vibes! 🌿🛍️

✅ Fully accessible with smooth cement pathways
🍽️ Grab a bite, browse, and support local
⏳ Pop in on your lunch break – we’re here!

See you soon! 🎉

Honeysuckle Market - Wednesday February 26th

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