Following the success of last year’s event, Blackpool Winter Gardens Trust is hosting Blackpool Creative Christmas Market on Saturday 30th November, bringing 50 local independent traders together under one roof.
Christmas is a time for giving, but that shouldnโt mean weโre forced into spending a fortune on mass-produced goods that line the pockets of big corporations. One or two thoughtful gifts can mean so much to our loved ones, but choosing them can take up valuable time in what often is the busiest time of the year for so many of us.
So this Christmas season, Blackpool Creative Market is taking the stress out of buying gifts for your loved one by bringing together 50 local independent traders under one roof for Blackpoolโs biggest Christmas market. And with family entertainment and crafty workshops to take part in too, it promises to bring joy and gladness back into the Christmas shopping experience.
On Saturday 30 November the Winter Gardens Pavilion will be transformed into a festive marketplace with stalls selling handmade crafts, original artwork, artisan jewellery and homeware and so much more. The stalls are hosted by Blackpool artists and makers selling their unique products, meaning youโll be supporting local independent traders and purchasing sustainable gifts that are good for the planet and good for your pocket too.ย
This is the third annual Blackpool Christmas Creative Market hosted by the Winter Gardens Trust, and started by Blackpoolโs High Street Heritage Action Zone project which aims to use Blackpoolโs high street heritage as a catalyst for bringing new and diverse uses to the town centre.ย
Great gifts from local artists and makers
Many artists will be selling their work at the Christmas Creative Market, including Jayne Stevenson, whose beautiful depictions of local landmarks are always a firm favourite. Stuart Tarpey of Canvas Creations with creative portraits of all your favourite characters, and Sarah Pugsley of Coxyart with prints inspired by Fylde Coast landmarks that make a perfect gift for anyone whoโs rightly proud of our vibrant hometown.
There will be tonnes of inspiration for stocking fillers for children, with traders including Josh Ford (aka The Bearded Sewist) selling their handmade plushies, Hex Gregson of Hexagram Designs with their Studio Ghibli inspired crocheted characters and Emily Moore of Foxhat who will have cute stickers and accessories which are sure to put a big smile on your face.
There will also be a variety of ceramics, 3D printed crafts, jewellery, toiletries, candles, specialist teas, beauty products, one of a kind homewares and much more. Textile lovers can discover everything from vintage clothes, hand-knitted baby clothes, hair accessories, tote bags and soft furnishings such as cushions and blankets.
More than just stalls
Alongside this eclectic range of stalls, three local creatives will be hosting sustainability-themed workshops โ inviting visitors to drop in and try their hand at making something christmassy themselves.ย
Lisa Wigham from the Two A.M. Press will be running a Christmas card workshop, where participants can upcycle used greeting cards, adding personalised messages for their loved ones. More info and booking.
Sam Mawdsley will lead one of her ever-popular craft sessions, where participants young and old will be able to make a custom decoration for their Christmas tree using recycled materials. Book here.
Using recycled scrap clay, Chelsea Ladish from Odieโs Pottery will host ceramic decoration painting workshops, giving participants the chance to create something unique and personal to take home with them.
Thereโll also be plenty to distract the children while you shop for them: street theatre performers provide interactive entertainment and there will be live music from Rhy Grooves and the Park Academy Brass Band to enjoy too.
Highlight on Festive Fashion
Four independent Blackpool traders who are making this year’s Creative Christmas Market stylish tell us about the work that goes into their small business and why they feel itโs important to shop locally this festive season.ย
Helen Rodger, Handcrafted jewellery
โThis market is one of the highlights of my year, it showcases the work of the brilliant Blackpool creative community, and I get to be part of that! The public get to see that unique, hand-made, high quality and local art design and craft is very much accessible and affordable. So it’s win win!โ
Buying from local and independent traders, she adds โkeeps Blackpool and the Fylde Coast as a part of our collective identity. Something we can all be proud of.โ
Shaan Hicks, The Scarf and Bag Gallery
โThe Scarf and Bag Gallery offers accessories and gifts with a little touch of ART!โ says Shaan. The Scarf and Bag Gallery features some of the worldโs most appreciated paintings incorporated into wearable designs that are sure to turn heads.
โFrom Claude Monet to Leonardo Da Vinci to Frida Kahlo, why not make an impression with our gorgeous art inspired, quality apparel. Reflecting the masterpieces, whether Van Gogh’s Starry Night or Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss our products make fabulous, unique gifts with Art-itude!โ
Sameera Al-Hilley, The Vintage Wardrobeย
“For Sameera, running her independent business is less about making and more about curating. She sells hand-picked womenโs vintage clothing from the 1960s-1990s โ taking the handwork out of shopping for anyone who likes the items in their wardrobe to be sustainable and one of a kind.ย
โEach item is carefully picked based on wearability, condition and how it can be loved in a new wardrobe,โ she says. โI firmly believe that thereโs vintage out there for everyone, so I always aim to have something for every size and style.ย
โYou canโt beat the feeling of finding an incredible vintage piece, whether thatโs for a loved one or yourself. Vintage is so versatile, it can be worn in many different ways and you know you wonโt see anyone else in the same thing. Thereโs so much that goes on behind the scenes of running a small business, especially for those who are creating their own products by hand,โ she adds. โBy supporting local makers and small business owners, youโre helping us continue to do what we love doing.โ
See you in the Pavilion!
The Winter Gardens Trust is looking forward to bringing Christmas shopping back to the high street on Saturday, so make the most of the โfeel good factorโ of shopping sustainably while supporting independent local traders. With the added bonus of doing all of your gift shopping in one place on one day while entertaining the family, this opportunity to experience our townโs vibrant creative community is one not to miss!
Blackpool Creative Market
10am – 4pm, Saturday 30 November 2024
Winter Gardens Pavilion
Blackpool Winter Gardens
Church St
Blackpool
FY1 1HL
FREE ENTRY
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