Sydney’s Jolly Christmas Night Markets are back on at Circular Quay with their biggest program yet. For the first time, the foreshore will host a dedicated Wine and Distillery Village, turning the space in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) into a Christmas enclave for Australian winemakers and craft distillers.
The new village focuses on organic wines, small-batch spirits and cellar-door style tastings, with free masterclasses running across the program. Meet the people behind the bottles, learn a little about what’s in your glass, and taste along the way. Sessions cover whisky, gin, French-style wines, rum, amaro and a broader introduction to Australian spirits, with each class kept deliberately intimate. Bookings are essential, but the sessions are free.
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Outside the masterclasses, the Wine and Distillery Village is designed for exploration, with tasting stations offering festive cocktails, Australian sparkling wines, and boutique spirits.
Food will also be on offer, including flame-grilled skewers, street-style burgers, crispy calamari and shucked oysters alongside an ice-cold sparkling station. There will be stores selling German-style sausages, handmade dumplings, wood-fired pizza, gingerbread, oversized cookies, rich hot chocolate and fresh pastries.
Jolly Market now stretches across Circular Quay, Customs House and The Rocks, creating three distinct villages with different moods, all connected by the harbour backdrop and a steady hum of live entertainment.
At Customs House, the classic European-style wooden huts return, featuring stalls that sell artisanal gifts, Christmas decorations, and festive food, along with hot pastries and mulled wine. Artificial snow falls after dark, making it one of the most photographed corners of the entire market.
First Fleet Park introduces a new Makers Village this year, dedicated to local artisans and slow, thoughtful shopping. Under the lights, you’ll find handmade gifts, jewellery, homewares and festive crafts.
Along the foreshore, Santa’s Village adds a playful note to the program. A towering five-metre-high Christmas present anchors the space and has already claimed its place as a new festive photo backdrop for Sydney. Santa makes daily appearances, and there’s even room for pet-friendly photos.
Across the full run, the markets bring together more than 120 stalls over 11 nights, with free entry, free tastings and free masterclasses sitting at the centre of the experience.
What: Jolly Christmas Night Markets
When: Now until Sunday 21 December 2025
Where: Circular Quay and Customs House, Sydney
How much: Free
Check out the full program here.