Market Venue in Coffs Harbour
Organising a market in Coffs Harbour and need a venue that scales with it? Whether it’s a monthly stallholder market or a large weekend event, Coffs Harbour Showground has the space, from the undercover comfort of the Norm Jordan Pavilion to the open grass of the Main Arena. As a not-for-profit, the grounds are run for the benefit of the region, not a private operator, and we handle everything from first enquiry through to council sign-off.
Norm Jordan Pavilion for Smaller and Medium Markets
The Norm Jordan Pavilion suits a market that wants cover, comfort and a manageable footprint. At 504 square metres, it’s climate-controlled with a servery area. It can be hired as a full room or split in half, so a smaller market isn’t paying for more space than it needs. It’s the space behind two of our regular community markets, the Rotary Book Fair and the Gem and Crystal Fair. Both run comfortably within a half or full Pavilion hire.
Exhibition Hall for Larger Markets, Indoors and Out
Once a market outgrows the Pavilion, the Exhibition Hall is the next step up. It’s a 1,000-square-metre space with an open timber floor and an oversized servery, and it’s set up to combine indoor stalls with an outdoor stallholder area on the same booking. The Made with Love Markets and the Super Swap Meet both run on this indoor-plus-outdoor layout, which lets an organiser grow stallholder numbers without hitting a hard capacity wall.
Main Arena and Village Green for Large-Scale Outdoor Markets
For markets built around scale, the Main Arena offers a 15,000-square-metre grassed oval with grandstand seating. It also includes floodlights, toilets and on-site parking. It’s the ground behind the Aussie Night Markets and Christmas in the Sky. The Village Green offers a smaller 7,700-square-metre rectangular alternative with its own lighting, toilets and parking, useful as a second outdoor option or an overflow area alongside another booking.
Stallholder Access, Power and Parking for Everyone
Getting stallholder vehicles on-site for bump-in, and keeping that separate from where shoppers park, is one of the first things a market organiser needs to know. Every market space at the Showground has vehicle access for loading in and out, and on-site parking is available for both stallholders and the public. Let us know your power requirements when you enquire and we’ll confirm what’s available for your space.
Insurance and Compliance, Sorted With Your Booking
Organisers hosting a public market need public liability insurance and, for food stalls, temporary food registration with council. We talk you through what your specific market needs as part of the enquiry process, rather than leaving you to work it out alone.
Recurring Markets and Community-First Support
Community groups running a market weekly, monthly or quarterly can set up a standing booking arrangement rather than re-enquiring every time. Being not-for-profit and community-first shapes how we work with organisers. We’re set up to support an ongoing local market, not just a one-off event. We handle the details from your first enquiry through to any council approval the market needs.
Find the Right Space for Your Event
If your market is closer to a trade show or exhibition in feel, our expo venue page covers that ground in more depth. Planning something built entirely around open-air scale, like a festival alongside your market stalls? Our outdoor event venue page is the better fit. Still weighing up which category suits your event? Our functions and event types overview breaks down every option in one place.
Ready to Book Your Market?
Quick enquire with your preferred date, expected stallholder numbers and which space you’re considering, or call our team on (02) 6652 8401 to talk it through first. You can also get in touch through our contact page for full details on booking a market at the Showground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both. The Norm Jordan Pavilion and the Exhibition Hall are fully undercover, so a market can go ahead regardless of the forecast. If your market suits an outdoor setting instead, the Main Arena and Village Green give you that option. Either ground can be paired with an indoor space if you want a wet-weather fallback built into the same booking.
Stall sizing depends on your market and product type, though a general clothing or trade stall commonly needs around 3 metres of frontage as a starting point. Tell us your stall numbers and typical size when you enquire and we’ll confirm what fits your chosen space.
Food stalls generally need temporary food registration with council on top of public liability insurance. We’ll talk you through what applies to your market’s food vendors as part of the enquiry process, so it’s sorted well ahead of trading day.
Yes. Weekly, monthly and quarterly market bookings are something we support directly, and a standing arrangement means you’re not starting the enquiry process fresh each time. Let us know your intended frequency when you first get in touch.
Book as early as you can once you have a date in mind. Weekend and warmer-month dates for the Main Arena or Village Green are in the highest demand, so an early enquiry helps secure the date you want.
Outdoor
Up to 1100
Indoor