Autumn is a wonderful time to discover Market Drayton.
As summer gives way to cooler days and changing colours, September and October bring plenty of reasons to spend a day exploring our Shropshire market town.
Come on a Wednesday and experience our traditional street market, discover the town that has been making gingerbread for more than 200 years, browse independent shops, enjoy good local food and take an autumn walk along the canal.
Here are 10 reasons to Make it Market Drayton this autumn.
1. Experience Market Day in Market Drayton
If you want to see Market Drayton living up to its name, come and visit on a Wednesday.
Market Drayton has been a market town for centuries, with its market charter dating back to 1245, and the tradition continues today with the weekly outdoor market in the heart of the town.
The Wednesday market brings stalls to Cheshire Street selling everything from fresh produce, bread, cakes and cheese to plants, clothing, homeware and gifts.
It’s a good starting point for a day in Market Drayton. Browse the stalls before heading off to explore the shops, stop for coffee or lunch and discover some of the town’s history.
2. Discover – and Taste – the Home of Gingerbread
You can’t visit Market Drayton without discovering its famous connection with gingerbread.
Gingerbread has been made in the town for more than two centuries, with the first recorded reference dating back to 1793. Billington’s famous gingerbread followed in the early 1800s and the town’s distinctive gingerbread remains part of Market Drayton’s story today.
Better still, you can taste some while you’re here.
Pop into Drayton Deli in the town centre, where you can pick up gingerbread alongside other local produce.
Fields Kitchen on the High Street has an even deeper connection with the story. The building was once the bakehouse where Billington’s gingerbread was produced in the early 1800s, so you’re buying gingerbread in a place that is part of the town’s gingerbread heritage.
Billingtons Gingerbread can also be found at Boyes in the town centre.
A little further out, Fordhall Organic Farm is another place to pick up Market Drayton gingerbread while discovering a fantastic range of local food and produce.
September is an especially good month for gingerbread lovers, with the annual Ginger & Spice Festival celebrating Market Drayton’s food, heritage and famous spicy treat.
Don’t just read about our gingerbread history – taste it and take some home with you.
3. Take an Autumn Walk Along the Canal
Pull on a jumper and enjoy a walk beside the Shropshire Union Canal.
You don’t need to travel far from the town centre to reach the canal and, as the leaves begin to change, September and October are lovely months to explore it.
Watch the narrowboats go by, enjoy the changing colours and take a little time away from the bustle of everyday life.
You don’t need to plan a long hike either. A gentle stroll can easily become part of a day in town before heading back for coffee, cake or lunch.
4. Shop Independent
One of the pleasures of visiting a traditional market town is discovering businesses you don’t find everywhere else.
Spend some time wandering around Market Drayton and you’ll find independent shops selling gifts, clothing, food, homeware and plenty more.
Rather than rushing from one place to another, give yourself time to explore. You might find a business you’ve never visited before or something you weren’t expecting to take home.
Every purchase from a local independent business also helps support the people who make Market Drayton’s town centre what it is.
5. Stop for Coffee and Cake
Autumn provides the perfect excuse for coffee and cake.
Market Drayton has plenty of cafés and places to stop for breakfast, lunch, coffee or an afternoon treat.
Make a morning of it by combining the Wednesday market with a coffee stop, warm up after an autumn walk or simply meet a friend and watch the world go by.
And given that you’re visiting the Home of Gingerbread, a gingerbread treat with your cuppa seems particularly appropriate.
6. Discover Market Drayton’s History
Market Drayton’s history stretches back much further than its gingerbread.
Look a little closer as you wander through town and you’ll discover historic buildings, streets and landmarks with stories to tell.
Market Drayton was already a settlement before the Domesday Book and has grown and changed through centuries of markets, industry, agriculture and local life.
You can also visit Market Drayton Museum & Heritage Centre to delve deeper into the people, businesses and events that have helped shape the town.
Sometimes simply slowing down and looking up at the buildings around you reveals a side of Market Drayton you may never have noticed before.
7. Enjoy the Flavours of Market Drayton
Gingerbread isn’t our only claim to food fame.
Market Drayton is also well known for cheese and has a wealth of independent food businesses, cafés, pubs, restaurants and local producers to discover.
You could pick up something tasty from Wednesday’s market, browse the delis and food shops, enjoy lunch in town and take a few local treats home with you.
Come hungry and make food part of your visit.
8. Enjoy the Changing Colours
You don’t need to travel far from the town centre to find green spaces and countryside.
As September moves into October, the trees begin to change and familiar walks take on a completely different appearance.
Explore the canal, enjoy the town’s parks and green spaces or head a little further into the surrounding countryside.
Bring your camera or phone too – autumn can provide some of the best opportunities to capture Market Drayton and the surrounding area.
9. Make a Day of It
One of the nicest things about Market Drayton is that you don’t need a complicated itinerary to enjoy a day here.
If you’re visiting on a Wednesday, start the morning by exploring the market before stopping for coffee.
Browse the independent shops, pick up some Market Drayton gingerbread and enjoy lunch somewhere in town.
In the afternoon, discover some local history or head towards the canal for an autumn walk.
Then finish your visit with another coffee, something sweet, a meal or perhaps a drink before heading home.
Sometimes the best days out are the simplest ones.
10. See What’s Happening This Autumn
There is plenty happening in Market Drayton throughout September and October.
One of the highlights of September is the Ginger & Spice Festival, which takes place on Saturday 26 September 2026 and celebrates the town’s links with gingerbread alongside food, heritage and entertainment.
There are also markets, activities, workshops, performances, community events and plenty more taking place throughout the autumn.
Before you visit, take a look at the What’s On calendar on Make it Market Drayton and see what you can add to your day.
You might come for an event but leave having discovered a new favourite shop, café, walking route or part of Market Drayton you hadn’t explored before.
Make it Market Drayton This Autumn
Come for the Wednesday market. Taste our famous gingerbread. Browse our independent shops. Discover centuries of history. Enjoy some good food and take an autumn walk.
There are plenty of reasons to spend a day in Market Drayton this September and October.
And if you haven’t visited for a while, perhaps this autumn is the perfect time to come back.
Make it Market Drayton this autumn.
Find more places to visit, things to do and what’s on at makeitmarketdrayton.com.
