The finest local festive food, products and crafts will be showcased in a Christmas fair on Saturday December 10 and Sunday December 11 in the heart of Douglas.
Douglas town centre manager Oliver Cheshire, extreme right, with Christmas fair stallholders The Eatery’s David Paramor, Manx Workshop for the Disabled’s Peter Hindley, Manx Crafters Market’s Christine Howson and The Alpine’s Simon Ross
Organised by Douglas Town Centre Management in association with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture the fair will comprise some 50 stalls - from hog roasts to handmade gifts and much more - along Castle Street, Howard Street and Granville Street and will run each day from 9.30am to 5pm.
Christine Howson from the Manx Crafters Market said: ‘The Christmas fair is an inspired idea which we’re delighted to be supporting. We see it as a great way to display the wealth of artisanal talent we have in the Island to a wider audience and to offer shoppers some fantastic bespoke gift suggestions for Christmas.’
David Paramor of The Eatery will also be taking a stall. He said: ‘Although we trade from our town centre premises in Duke Street we were keen get behind the Christmas fair, as we felt it would be a valuable way of raising our profile, and helping to fuel Christmas shoppers with some of our great food and drink.’
Douglas Town Centre Manager Oliver Cheshire said: ‘We’ve seen how craft and food fairs not only bring a real boost to the vibrancy and street life in the regenerated town centre but also how they increase footfall and benefit local retailers.
‘Response from traders for this event has been really encouraging. The fair will provide a great opportunity to celebrate the talents of local crafters and producers in the run-up to Christmas and offer a wealth of inspirational gift ideas. It will also complement the many other attractions we have planned over the coming weeks in the town centre – from ice carving to carol singing and live music – that will make Douglas the go-to destination this Christmas.’
