Shrewsbury Market raises a glass to lifestyle festival
Traders will be raising a glass to a market's second annual Lifestyle Festival this weekend.
Shrewsbury Market Hall is gearing up for its second celebration of art, craft, food and drink under the "lifestyle" banner – and will have a little help from the market's very own pop-up gin parlour, which opens the day before.
The festival, held as part of the national Love Your Local Market campaign fortnight, takes place on Saturday from 10am to 10pm and aims to make the most of the thriving indoor market's vibrant mix of boutique businesses with art and craft demonstrations and special food and drink attractions.
In the evening the market’s cafes and restaurants will stay open together with a pop-up wine bar and new gin parlour Gindifferent. Music will be provided by DJ Buzzword.
Gindifferent, launched by hospitality and event specialist Darren Tomkins, will open for the first time on Friday, dedicated to gin aficionados and people who want to learn more about gin culture.
The bar stocks 55 artisan gins from around the globe including from small distilleries in Shropshire. It will be open Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11am to 4pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 5.30pm, and also available for private booking.
Darren said: “We’re trying to create something that is a little bit different by getting people enjoying and understanding the quality of gins out there in a fun and friendly environment."
Other festival attractions include well-known artist Linda Edwards who will be taking part in a meet-the-artist event at Lovely Little World home accessory boutique from noon to 2pm. She will be talking about her work during a fizz and canape reception.
Baking specialist The Icing Tip will hold sugarcraft demonstrations at 10am and noon, artists Karen Duffy and Rosie Read will open their studios to visitors and wool specialist Ewe & Ply will demonstrate loom weaving and wool spinning.
Black Box is demonstrating the art of spice blending and Moli Teahouse is holding a "dumpling festival".
Lovely Little World will also show people how to up-cycle old vases, lamp shades and containers into eye-catching home decorations, while Romy Design is demonstrating glass planters and Colour4Wellbeing is offering Thai foot and bamboo massage tasters.
