The Hills UPmarket
Forty-five stalls on the Terraces at Castle Hill Showground, nine Sundays a year plus two Christmas twilight nights.
About this market
The Hills UPmarket runs on the Terraces at Castle Hill Showground on the fourth Sunday of the month from February to October, 9am to 2pm. That comes to nine markets a year plus two Christmas twilight events held on a fourth Saturday instead, and the organisers are explicit that the aim is a boutique local event rather than a large one.
Forty-five stalls, deliberately
Around 45 quality stalls is the stated scale, and it is a choice rather than a ceiling: the framing throughout is a place where friends and family catch up, have a coffee, eat something, shop and relax, which is a different proposition from a hundred-stall market where the point is the browsing. Parking is free and dogs are welcome, both of which matter in a part of Sydney where almost everyone drives and the showground has the space to absorb it. The operator has also partnered with the Positive Vibes Foundation to raise awareness of mental health, which is an unusual thing for a market to put at the front of its own description.
Market at a glance
The Castle Hill Showground carries more than one market on different schedules, so naming the one you want matters. This is the UPmarket on the Terraces; the Castle Hill Farmers and Fine Food Market is a separate produce market on the same grounds.
The market puts a mental health partnership on its front page rather than in a footer. The operator has partnered with the Positive Vibes Foundation to raise awareness about mental health, and presents that alongside the stall count and the parking as one of the things the market is for. Community markets very often support a charity through a raffle or a sausage sizzle; naming a partner organisation as part of the market's own identity is a step further than that.
Good to know before you go
Fourth Sunday, February to October, 9am to 2pm, and note the two Christmas markets move to a Saturday evening instead. There is nothing in November through January on the usual Sunday pattern. Parking at the showground is free, which is the practical advantage of the venue. Bring a card and bags, and a lead if the dog is coming. Showground Road is the address and the site is well signposted from Old Northern Road. This is Darug country.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is The Hills UPmarket on?
- The fourth Sunday of the month from February to October, 9am to 2pm, on the Terraces at Castle Hill Showground. There are also two Christmas twilight markets held on a fourth Saturday.
- How big is it and what does it cost?
- Around 45 stalls, with free parking. The organisers describe it as a boutique local event rather than a large market.
- Is there another market at this showground?
- Yes. The [Castle Hill Farmers and Fine Food Market](/markets/nsw/castle-hill-farmers-fine-food-market) uses the same showground on a different schedule, so check which one you are after.