A Day Out: Makers Cornwall Christmas Fair, Penryn

A day out at

It feels much longer than three years since Makers Cornwall hosted their last Christmas Fair in 2019, long before social distancing and face masks. But they’re back, and with a new team at the helm.

Makers Cornwall are excited to return to the Sports Centre on the university campus at Penryn from November 4 to 6, with more than 70 of their very best Cornish makers ready to kick off the Christmas fair 2022 season in style.

The fair will be full to the brim with jewellers, illustrators, potters, textiles, homewares, handmade chocolate and more. Visitors will be treated to a huge variety of high quality, original handmade products across 71 stalls, including modern ceramics, stylish homewares, hand-printed textiles, unusual jewellery, original art and prints, eco-beauty products and food gifts. Where else can you buy a fabric mackerel, artisan macarons and a sea plastic necklace under one roof?

And once shoppers are ready to drop, they can find something delicious at the food stalls, or perhaps a piece of cake and a hot drink in the café under the Christmas tree.

As is traditional with Makers Cornwall events, Friday night is opening night, and a very special experience with shopping, celebration and cocktails from 6pm to 9pm, as well as live jazz from Swingology.

Saturday is usually the busiest day, so arrive early and make a day of it! Sunday offers the final chance to complete your Christmas shopping while enjoying a relaxed live set from The Rosevilles.

The team’s chosen charity for 2022 is the Trussell Trust’s Penryn Foodbank. Donations of food are invited from anyone attending who would like to contribute, and a tombola with specially donated gifts from the makers will raise extra funds.

The team are thrilled to be returning to the Penryn Campus Sports Centre. With free parking all weekend, easy access and direct connections to public transport, it remains a perfect venue for visitors and stallholders alike. Campus services FXPlus played a key part in looking after everyone and ensuring a seamless event in 2019, and will do so again this year.

Makers Cornwall is a non-profit community supporting local designers, makers and artists by sharing information and encouragement online, and organising workshops and social events that make the solo job of making things a little less lonely.

The Christmas fair started in St Ives Guildhall in 2017, with around 40 stands attracting 3,000 visitors. It moved to the Penryn campus in 2019 to huge success, with 70 stands pulling in an amazing 5,000 visitors.

Past events were led by local creative and small business advocate Alison Bick, and the new organising team of seven creative makers and designers from the Makers Cornwall community have big shoes to fill. But they bring plenty of experience, skills and enthusiasm and, armed with some excellent handover notes from Alison and her team, they are looking forward to creating another wonderful event worthy of the Makers Cornwall name.

“For me, the Makers Cornwall Fair has been a part of the build-up to Christmas since the very first Etsy Makers Cornwall Fair in St Ives,” says paper artist Pam Booth, who is a member of the organising team. “It’s such a privilege to now be involved in planning this amazing event.”

“Makers Cornwall Christmas Fair is one of my favourite events to attend as a customer, let alone as a trader,” adds illustrator and team lead Sally Atkins. “Bringing to life an event that was so popular and well attended prior to the pandemic is a huge responsibility. I can’t express enough how amazed I am at the wonderful bunch of people I am working with.

“We received an incredibly high standard of applications for stalls, and now have everything we need to ensure Makers Cornwall Christmas Fair 2022 is the best we can possibly provide for both stallholders and customers.” l

Makers Cornwall Christmas Fair 2022, Sports Centre, Penryn Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE. November 4 to 6. Friday, November 4: 6pm to 9pm; Saturday November 5: 10am to 4pm; Sunday, November 6: 10am to 3pm.

For more information about the event and exhibitors, follow Makers Cornwall on Facebook and Instagram @makerscornwall or visit makerscornwall.co.uk/christmas-fair-2022