Gifts galore ahead of Mothers’ Day

NOW in its ninth year, the Creators and Craft Market is back in the Golden Plains Shire this May.

Close to 40 artistic stallholders are set to flock to Bannockburn from across the region to showcase and sell their creations and wares, while promoting their diverse practices and businesses.

Event founder Noeline Trevor said there’ll be plenty of gift inspiration at the market which will fall on the Sunday before Mothers’ Day.

“We’ll have lots of handmade jewellery items this time, like earrings, necklaces, and rings,” she said.

“We’ve got a couple of people doing plants, including Heather Spiller from Inverleigh with all her native starter tubes, and another lady with succulents.

“We always have some candles, and we’ve got woodworkers who make furniture, bowls, and stools coming along.”

Ms Trevor said the bulk of stallholders are from the Golden Plains Shire, as supporting the local community is what the event has been about since it first launched.

“One third of the market will be made up of new stallholders this time as well, so I encourage people who have been before to come and have another look,” she said.

The free event will be held on the public reserve next to Lions Park at 1 Geelong Road, Bannockburn on Sunday, 7 May from 10am to 2pm.

Site fees for stallholders over the age of 18 are $30, with discounted site fees for people 18, including market insurance, to encourage youth enterprises.

“If young people want to have a stall, I only charge them $20,” Ms Trevor said. “Three or four kids could get together and have a stall.

“I want to promote more young adult artists, and try and get them enthused. They might sell a pair of earrings and be spurred on a bit.”

The Creators and Craft Market began in 2014 as a 20-stall market, and generally attracts over 50 regular stallholders twice a year. An indoor venue is booked in case of rain.