THE Moree Markets on Sunday closed another big year at Jellicoe Park, with organisers preparing for an even bigger and better 2026.
The December 21 markets are traditionally the second held in December during the lead-up to Christmas, and again drew stall-holders from across the region.
Market-day co-ordinator Rhiannon Barr said stall-holder numbers are building steadily.
“We’ve noticed this year a lot of people are contacting us via social media, and we want to keep that active,” she said.
“People are letting us know they’re coming and we’ve been reaching out to stall-holders from other towns as well.”
New stalls attending regularly this year include fruit and vegetables, coffee vendors and giftware.
“We’ve had that increase, and fruit and vegies always bring people to the markets, so it’s fantastic to see that back,” Rhiannon said.
Moree Ukulele Group made a special appearance on Sunday, with a repertoire of well-known numbers and traditional easy-listening Christmas fare.
“It’s been a real struggle to get live entertainment to our markets, so having the ukulele group here has been a real boon for us – we love it,” Rhiannon said.
“Next year, if there are any budding artists that want to come along, please get in touch or send us a message on our Facebook page and we’ll help set you up.
“We can also look into organising speakers and that sort of thing if they’re needed,” she said.
Moree Markets will now go into recess for about six weeks.
“We’ll have a one-month break in January, and be back on the first Sunday in February, with business as usual next year,” Rhiannon said.
“This is a great way to close the year, with a bit of singing, a bit of togetherness and a bit of happiness.
“We had Santa with his horse as well as singing, and it’s really good to finish in such a positive way for the community,” she said.
Moree Markets this year were showcased by the huge Fathers’ Day Markets in September.
“Generally speaking, the biggest market day of the year is the car show on Father’s Day – it’s always a good one,” Rhiannon said.
“This year was exceptionally good. We were flat out and everyone had a really good day. The weather really turned it on for us, which is always nice, and the car club always does a really good job co-ordinating everything.
“It’s a really good event for the town, good for all the dads, and good for all the mums and kids,” she said.
Words and Images: Bill Poulos
