This blog post was updated on September 5, 2018.
Camden, it’s an all-in-one destination for anyone keen to soak up the buzzing best of London street life. On the weekends and during the height of summer, this area (with its canal side markets and row upon row of quirky shops) heaves with the likes of shoppers, gawkers and tourists. In fact, the Camden markets are the fourth most popular visitor attraction in London. Yes, roughly 100,000 people descend upon Camden every weekend.
Such a multitude might get under the skins of some locals every once in awhile, but even long time residents are hesitant to blame the throngs of visitors who make a pilgrimage to Camden a top priority during their time in London. It’s a great place to take photos, browse for bargains, grab some grub or just contemplate London living alongside the towpath of the Regent’s Canal.
Now, to ease a bit of demand and maybe give all the locals a chance to actually enjoy the market when they come back home from work during the week, the mother of all the Camden markets is staying open on Thursday nights for some summer fun.
For six weeks, beginning July 26th, from 6 to 10pm, Camden Lock Market is showcasing an amazing mix of fashion, accessories, vintage, arts and crafts along with its delicious range of street food stalls. There will also be live music, street entertainers and open-air film screenings.
The spiritual heart of the Camden scene and the historic hub of all the market activity is Camden Lock Market. Once a timber yard and a place of heavy industrial use, in the early 70’s the Lock was opened as an original arts and crafts market, featuring a makeshift collective of workshops and traders. Today, Camden Lock Market is a warren of market stalls and boutique shops. Fancy a taste of London’s famous street food? Some say that whole trendy phenomenon started right here years ago. Souvenirs from gaudy t-shirts to artisan handcrafted keepsakes? Yep.
Word is if the summer night markets are a success, they’ll be back in time for Christmas … or might not even go away at all.
Camden Lock Market can be found at 54-56 Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF (look for the bright blue “Camden Lock” train overpass or the massive and some say rather tacky Gilgamesh restaurant). Camden Town is the closet Tube station but a number of other stations are within walking distance as well. Find out more at camdenlockmarket.com.
Photo: Chris Osburn
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