Artisan market eagerly awaited

Come rain or high waters, the Port Chalmers and Fairfield Artisan Market was going ahead.

Stallholders from Port Chalmers and Fairfield were champing at the bit to sell their wares at the weekend because Covid-19 restrictions had prevented them from holding any market days for months.

So organisers of both markets decided to combine and create a two-day market at the Wingatui Racecourse, which was able to meet the social distancing requirements.

Port Chalmers Artisan Market manager Julie Fawcett said it had been four months since they were able to hold a market, and she was delighted with the turnout, despite the very wet weather.

More than 1000 people turned up on Saturday alone to see more than 100 stalls, filled with a mixture of children’s toys, knitted items, arts and crafts, jewellery, books, flowers, food, musical entertainment — there was even a massage stall.

It was a great place for early Christmas present shoppers because there was also a gift-wrapping stall.

For many of the stallholders, markets were their income or supplementary income, so she was delighted it had been so well supported by the community, she said.