Popular event starts the summer season
This weekend sees the start of the 14th year of the Blairgowrie community markets and organisers have attracted a number of new stall-holders to the popular event.
The market takes place on Saturday, April 22 from 10am until 3pm in the Wellmeadow.
Amongst the new stall-holders this month are CraicN Casks, producers of handcrafted goods such as candle holders and garden furniture fashioned from traditional whisky casks.
New Blairgowrie business Flourish Plants will also be at the market with a variety of locallygrown spring flowering perennial plants and shrubs.
Other new stallholders include Farquhars Fancies, The Acorn, which offers a range of sugar-free sweets and a new potter with a range of pottery.
Many regular stall-holders are also making a welcome return to the monthly market, including CC Plants, Deli Jax with their bread, local butcher Ann Davidson, A J Cupcakes with a lovely range of gluten free cakes, the award-winning Allan’s Chilli Products, Arbroath Quality Fish, Mysterious Worlds with a fabulous collection of jewellery, Yvonne of Tuff Duck Designs with her range of hand-painted glassware, and the Soap Farm.
The Association of Blairgowrie Craftworkers will also be at the market, including Tartan Ted, run by Tracie Dick who will be on hand to talk about Create@Nest on Reform Street and her new scrapstore venture.
Also at this month’s market are members of Blairgowrie Bowling Club who will be setting up ‘Target Bowls’ for visitors to have a go at and the Blairgowrie Rotary Group who will be promoting their Drive-It classic car fundraising event which takes place on Sunday.
Representatives from Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Council will be at the information point at the market to chat to local people about issues in the town that ay affect them, and Nick and Sue from NSC Outdoor Adventures and Blairgowrie and District Next Steps will also be available to discuss the popular Wednesday Health Walks and the Health and Social Care Integrated Joint Board.
Volunteers from Blairgowrie and District Next Steps help put up the market stalls along with helpers from the Community Council and the SCYD Events team.
The community market is organised by Strathmore and the Glens Rural Partnership and first ran as a pilot in April 2003. By popular demand from both the community and local producers the markets continued for the rest of the year.
The markets aims to provide a source of healthy, affordable and tasty food for local people in the east Perthshire and Strathmore areas, contribute to the economic regeneration of the area and provide an outlet for small local producers and those starting out, and create a friendly and accessible space that promotes links between all members of the community.
Visitors to the market are also encouraged to spend time browsing the wide range of independent retailers situated in Blairgowrie, and enjoy lunch at one of the local restaurants and coffee shops that use of local produce.
Research shows that markets help bring life into towns aiding regeneration and encourage social interactions particularly between rural and urban communities.
Stall hire prices remain at £35 which covers the running costs of the market and Strathmore and the Glens, and are kept to a minimum due to the fact that the market is run on a voluntary basis.
● For more info contact Sue at Strathmore and the Glens on 01828 640763 or email sue@nscdesign. com. Blairgowrie Community Market also has a Facebook page.