Boom time for Farmers’ Market

Marlborough’s biggest farmers’ market will blend with the region’s premiere garden festival this weekend, for a celebration of all things edible, grown and crafted.

The Stihl Shop Garden Feˆ te is expected to draw 10,000 people this Sunday as the only nonticketed event in Rapaura Springs Bloom in the Boom, previously known as Garden Marlborough, now in its 27th year.

Having stayed the course through coronavirus lockdown, while other events succumbed to event restrictions and uncertainty, the annual garden festival had record ticket sales this year with about 2000 ticket holders visiting from outside the region this week.

The Marlborough Farmers’ Market will join the Garden Feˆ te for the third time this year, moving from the A&P Park to Pollard Park’s Churchill Glade, by the Parker St entrance from 9pm to 3pm.

Market manager Neville White said many familiar producers would be scattered around the 160-stall feˆte, such as Cranky Goat, Delicia Craft Gelato, Eden Orchards Juice, Helen’s Plants, Isobel Olives, Koffie Mobile, Marlborough Lavender, and The Swiss Butcher.

The Farmers’ Market ‘‘cluster site’’ at the Parker St entrance would also have Boom! Sauce Spice and BBQ, Hedgerows hydroponic strawberries, Le Posh Patisserie, Limrose Grove limes, and Three Cats preserves.

‘‘We suspect our sturdy Farmers’ Market branded Jute Shopping Bags will come in handy for the many feˆte visitors on the day, as will our wide brimmed Farmers’ Market hats,’’ White said.

The cluster site would also have the festival’s Eftpos facilities, White said. ‘‘Fingers crossed for good weather.’’

The festival ran between

Thursday and Sunday, with workshops on sustainable gardening, organics, pool design, foraging, and the Garden Party at Longfield on Saturday night.

Some workshops, such as floristry fundamentals with Nina Stanley, and a gin masterclass with Elemental Distillers’ Ben Leggett, had sold out early, along with most of the garden tours in Wairau, Awatere and Spring Creek.

Volunteers Sue Dillon and Liz Dillon had pitched in to beautify the festival headquarters at the

Blenheim Club on High St, with a floral archway over the entrance impressing passers-by.

Guests would pass underneath on their way to wine and Feast Merchants food at the Rapaura Springs Bar, from 4pm to 7pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

BRYA INGRAM/STUFF Volunteers Sue Dillon (left), Luke Elworthy and Liz Dillon have made an epic floral archway out the front of the Blenheim Club.