Town’s Victorian Christmas Market back this weekend... with a bang

MATLOCK Victorian Christmas Market is back this year after being cancelled in the pandemic.

It will be staged in Hall Leys Park over three days: this Friday (9am to 6pm), Saturday (9am to 7pm) and Sunday (9am to 6pm).

The event has been rated as being in the top three Christmas events in the East Midlands – and this year will be staged by with support from the local business community, the Rotary Club of Matlock and the Derwent Valley Lions, whose Santa’s Grotto, is always the children’s favourite attraction.

There will be 200 stalls, with music from Gen Steel Band on Saturday and Thoresby Colliery Band on Sunday.

The event will close on Sunday with a spectacular Christmas firework display.

Geoff Stevens, who, with other retired Matlock traders, has been involved with the event since it was first staged 26 years ago, said: ”This is really good news for Matlock.

“It has an interesting selection of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. It also has a wider benefit to the Derbyshire Dales tourist industry helping hotels, B&Bs and other holiday accommodation providers to enjoy extra business.

“Some of my old colleages and other residents have offered to join as volunteers – so if you are interested in becoming involved in this community event, come and join the team.”

lan Scaife, one of the organisers, said: “It is really important that any stallholders that have booked space in previous years through Matlock Town Council should contact my organisation without delay at specialevent.uk@gmail.com. They should apply as soon as possible as stall space inside and out is selling fast.”

He said the event would, for environmental reasons, be reducing the number of generators on site during the event.