Shropshire's makers and bakers look forward to 10th edition of creative fair
Over 40 businesses are set to attend the 10th annual Shropshire Handmade & Creative Christmas Fair in Shrewsbury this weekend.
The event transforms Salop Leisure and Love2Stay in Shrewsbury into an indoor and outdoor gift and food hall, with a street market rammed full of the best goodies from Shropshire's finest makers and bakers.
This year, organisers are celebrating their 10th anniversary of helping sell the wares of Shropshire's creative residents.
Organiser Carrie Hughes began her event business, Pink Pebble Events Ltd, with a friend in 2012.
Carrie said: "We were attending an event as traders, and it was quite a bad event and we just thought 'we could do this'.
"So we set up an event in our village to raise money for a friend of ours that had a poorly little girl, just a one-off charity event.
"Our traders did really well and we raised a lot of money, everyone started asking when we were going to do it again.
"It's grown and grown. Now my staff and I get to put on amazing events like this one. It's more like a community, we've grown this wonderful community of traders who come back time and time again."
Trader, Lynn Perry, who has been taking her gourmet hot-dog business The Dog House to the fair since its inception, moved from Shropshire to Somerset in 2014 and now undertakes a 400-mile round trip just to attend the event.
"We still wanted to be part of the Handmade & Creative Christmas Fair, to support Carrie as she supported us," said Lynn.
"Her organisation from the start has been first-class. No one looks after her traders like Carrie, I think it's down to having been a trader herself.
"She cares about her crafters and always has time to check on you, to make sure you're happy.
"The Christmas event at Salop Leisure is the start of the festive season for us. A happy fair, with lots of smiling faces and a fantastic atmosphere.
"It's like coming back to spend time with the family."
The events run on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4 at Love2Stay and Salop Leisure just off the Emstrey island in Shrewsbury.
Booking is required, with entry costing £1. Booking can be done online at pinkpebbleevents.co.uk/event-details/shropshire-handmade-and-creative-christmas-fair-2022.
