Does your perfect winter evening involves wrapping your hands around a steaming mug of spiced mulled wine while fire pits glow beneath eucalyptus trees? For those nodding yes at the screen, we’ve found your Melbourne night market for this weekend.
Hidden beside the Merri Creek in Brunswick East, the CERES Winter Twilight Market transforms one of Melbourne’s best-loved community spaces into a cosy after-dark gathering filled with local makers, organic food, live music and the glow of winter fires.
While the city’s bigger night markets draw the crowds, this intimate creekside event offers something quieter, with a chance to wander through an environmental park that feels worlds away from the inner suburbs and spend the evening at a pretty sunset spot.
A Winter Market Hidden Along The Merri Creek
Most Melburnians know CERES as the sprawling community farm and environmental park tucked away in Brunswick East. During the day, visitors explore its gardens, markets and sustainable living spaces—but on select winter Saturdays, the grounds take on a completely different atmosphere.
As the sun sets over the Merri Creek valley, fairy lights flicker on, fire pits begin to crackle and the park becomes a candlelit winter village. The CERES Winter Twilight Market returns this Saturday, 1st August, from 12pm–6pm, inviting locals to try out fireside food, handmade goods and revel in community spirit.
Shop Local Makers & Sustainable Finds
The market brings together more than 30–50 stalls with local makers, growers and eco-conscious creators showcasing thoughtful handmade goods.
Visitors can browse everything from hand-thrown ceramics and organic beeswax candles to vintage winter pieces, ethical jewellery and sustainable homewares—perfect for picking up a unique gift or simply discovering Melbourne’s creative community.
Unlike larger commercial markets, the focus here is on small producers and makers who share CERES’ commitment to sustainability.
Warm Drinks, Fire Pits & Winter Comfort Food
As temperatures drop, visitors gather around open-air fire pits with steaming cups of hot mulled wine, spiced apple cider and rich artisan hot chocolate. The flames provide the perfect backdrop for a slow winter evening spent chatting with friends or enjoying a cosy date night.
Food is a major part of the experience, with two onsite cafés and a fresh produce grocery operating throughout the market, alongside additional food trucks and stalls on selected nights. Visitors can warm up with seasonal hot meals, organic and spray-free produce and comforting winter dishes made with fresh local ingredients.
Here, you’ll find hearty eats like warming curries, wood-fired flatbreads, sourdough toasties and nourishing bowls, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options available too. Coffee lovers can also grab a fresh brew while browsing the market, while a licensed bar adds to the fuzzy winter festival atmosphere.
The market is designed to be welcoming for everyone, with wheelchair-accessible facilities, toilets, baby change facilities, pram-friendly areas and a playground onsite—making it an easy winter outing for families as well as groups of friends and couples.
Live Music Under The Fairy Lights
Adding to the winter village feeling, local musicians fill the market with acoustic performances throughout the evening.
The sounds of indie folk, guitars and live sets drift through the trees, replacing the city with calmer, crackling timber, conversation and the rustle of the surrounding native gardens.
Thanks to its location in the Merri Creek valley, the market feels surprisingly removed from Melbourne’s urban noise, even though it’s only a short trip from the inner north.
Key details
- What: CERES Winter Twilight Market
- Where: CERES Community Environment Park, Stewart St & Roberts St, Brunswick East VIC 3057
When: Saturday, 1st August 2026, from 12pm–6pm
Entry: Free entry, family-friendly and dogs are welcome on leads.
Parking nearby can fill quickly, so consider catching the 96 tram to the end of the line or cycling along the Merri Creek Trail.
