Burnham Market Craft Fair still 'drawing' in the crowds

More than a hundred stalls selling a variety of artisan goods at the much loved annual fair.

The first stall we come to is run by Jessica Levett, she’s selling (among many things) homemade cushions and bunting and has been at the craft fair for more than a decade, “There’s just something about it, I don’t know why it stands out from every other fair that I do, every other fair that I attend, there’s just something different about this one.  The community, the really good vibes and the sun always shines.”  And it is indeed shining.

Jessica Levett with her Floral Lifestyle business

With more than 100 stalls of hand-crafted goods, it’s bigger than any craft fair I’ve been to. It’s only been open for an hour and already the streets of Burnham Market are full, and most people we walk past have bags full of lovely things.

I pass Rose Brettingham, who’s a potter, “My mum had a stall when I was a kid so I’ve known it my whole life. She’s a painter, she used to do decorative homewares too, I guess I remember the variety of crafts and it was all just really interesting and fun - I used to love looking around.”

Rose Brettingham

Local artist Amanda Flowers tells me it’s great to see familiar faces, “People that I don’t see from one year to the next but we’re always in the same place and it’s lovely.”

We walk up to St Mary’s Church and meet Alison Rogers, who’s the vicar's wife.  She's serving homemade cakes and hot drinks, “It’s fantastic, it’s so nice to use the church in a way that builds the community - seeing people come through, it’s a real pleasure.”  

We head outside and eat our Victoria Sponge in the sunshine and sit next to Lynette and Stephen.  ”We’ve been married for 36 years, and I bought a tenth wedding anniversary present here,” says Lynette, adding, “We’ve been coming every year since then so that tells you everything.  We love this part of Norfolk.”

Stephen and Lynette

The fair has been running for decades, but a few years ago the then organisers decided it was time to give it up, luckily Hunstanton and District Rotary Club took over, "I understand it might have stopped if we hadn’t taken it on," says President Hilary Farrell, "And what a great shame that would have been, I mean look at it - there are over a hundred stalls here today, sun’s out - people are enjoying themselves, it’s wonderful."

I'm sure I'm not alone in being grateful that it is still running and going strong.

After walking around a few times we sit and have a coffee, before going back to buy some bunting I saw at the start and can't stop thinking about!