250th Anniversary

Let the Celebrations begin!

To celebrate our big 2-5-0 we’re not just going to cut a cake, we’ve decided to dedicate the whole of 2024 to our 250th Anniversary.  When you visit you’ll see the market is now bursting with 250th Anniversary bunting sporting our special Anniversary edition Covered Market logo, and we’ve got brand new Anniversary banners over all our entrances to welcome our regulars and new visitors to the market.

WHAT’S ON

Throughout the year the market will be offering a whole host of 250th-themed celebration events and activities in collaboration with our traders. These events include a special 250th edition Easter Egg Hunt, an extra special May Morning bursting with music and dancing, and later in the year we’ll be hosting a super exciting 250th birthday party.

In addition we’ll be rolling out all kinds of 250th-related activities and historic facts and discoveries celebrating how the Covered Market has evolved over its long and fruitful history.

Play your role in our history

Can you imagine the stories the market could tell if it could talk? Sadly, it can’t talk – but you can! We would love to hear your treasured memories, family stories and fun anecdotes about the market. So we can do our best to capture the role the market has played in people’s lives. You may have grown up shopping in the market, or members of your family have been market traders, or maybe it was a one-off memorable visit.   We’re keen to hear your story and see any photos or artifacts you might like us to consider sharing and maybe you can be part of Covered Market history for the next 250 years of traders and visitors to enjoy.

You can send in your stories and photos to cmevents@oxford.gov.uk

Coming up…

250 May Mornings in the market.

Can you believe it!  The Covered Market has seen 250 special May mornings sing out across Oxford, and to mark this occasion we’re excited to say that we’ve got more traders open from 6am than ever before. You’ll be pleased to hear that Brown’s  – a May Morning tradition – will be open as usual serving their now famous May Day Breakfast.  Joining them will be Sofi de France, Colombia Coffee, Brothers, Taylors, Sartorelli’s,  and both Gulp Fiction, il Corno and Market Tap will all be joining in on that great tradition of serving something a little stronger.

But that’s not all. We’re in the middle of organising some very special music and hopefully dance in the market to add that extra special sparkle as you refuel!  More news to come….