17/08/2017
This is a great post, but heavily focused on the weekends! We need this to be pushed as something that will be going on all weeks leading to Christmas!
***CALLING ALL CHRISTMAS MARKET TRADERS***
If you are a market trader, Gravesend Borough Market wants to hear from you because it has something unique to offer this Christmas.
The market, which is one of the oldest charter markets in Kent, is looking for traders who can offer unique and quirky gifts, food and related produce, arts and crafts, street food, confectionery and toys and books to come and join in its four-week extravaganza of Christmas Frost Fairs.
Council leader, Cllr David Turner, said: “We have a Christmas programme every year and this year will be no different. In fact the Frost Fairs are something new for us and we’re really excited about it. We’ve taken inspiration from the Frost Fairs of yesteryear, when the River Thames froze over and music, dancing, games and stalls selling everything from toys, books, arts and crafts and more were set up on the thick ice of the River Thames.”
He continued: “Fires were lit to keep warm, ice skating was popular, food, alcohol and beverages were served in abundance and it was even recorded that an elephant performed on the ice! The Frost Fairs of days gone by brought entertainment for all of the family. Bringing back this ethos, the market, along with the town’s shops and businesses are celebrating four weekends of themed events to celebrate our heritage as a town situated on the River Thames.”
The events programme starts with Gravesend's popular light switch on and Frost Fair Community Parade on Friday 17 November with its Sleeping Beauty Panto star Linda Lusardi and an evening market to welcome residents and visitors to our town, the themed market events in the weekends after that are:
Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 November – Ice and Vintage
Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 December – All things Magical
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 December – Hot and fiery
Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 December – All things Christmas
Each weekend will be full of festive fun, entertainment and with lots of traders offering a variety of great and affordable presents for your loved ones this Christmas. So if you are a trader, community organisation, a service provider, or know someone who is interested then pass this on and get in touch.
Traders who are interested can take a stall up for one or both days over a weekend or across more than one of the weekends. Prices and pitch sizes vary depending on what you’ve got to sell or offer. Email [email protected] outlining what you have to offer and what theme would be the best fit for your products. The market is looking for vendors who will get into the Frost Fair spirit and theme themselves and stall/pitch accordingly.
The frost fairs, which are aimed at families and visitors of all ages, are expected to bring in thousands of people over the four weekends and with the ample parking immediately in front of the market and the range of new stalls in place it will be the place to visit this Christmas. With a skating rink next to the market and the fabulous links to our River heritage, these are events not to be missed.
Gravesend Borough Market is open Tuesday to Saturday 9am – 5pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm.
