2024 JANUARY ISSUE
UK Craft Shows
in
November 2023
to
October 2024
Written by : Andrew Sia
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From the Desk of the Publisher
This piece is under the sector of Entrepreneurship & Business. It is the beginning of the piece introducing the handicraft shows in the UK. This piece will extend to the US, Canada and Australia in our future reports.
We hope that the readers will use this to inspire the visits to these shows. Remember that these shows would inspire us to bring out our creativities in the various fields. Hopefully that this can also lead us to something bigger eventually.
Opening Remark
There are the craft shows, craft fairs and they are all over the UK. These are considered as the best craft shows in the UK. They are taking place between November 2023 to October 2024. Visiting a craft show is a good idea to get creative inspiration. You can start looking for craft workshops, visit the craft suppliers and try and make your own crafts.
We list all the craft shows to cover the period. It will be good to visit and to get inspiration. You will find craft shows at the NEC in Birmingham to the legendry quilt fairs in Harrogate. There are always something for everyone.
Please look through the shows as the following.
NOVEMBER 2023
The Knitting & Stitching Show
November 16-19, Thursday to Sunday
HCC Harrogate
www.theknittingand stitchingshow.com/london/
The show takes a full day to visit and enjoy your stay because of its complexity. There are the usual textile galleries, infamous yarn village, attend the talk shows in the Creative Living Theatre. You may find a special visitor—a giant knitted Shrek.
Henley Craft and Gift Market
November 25, Saturday
HCC Harrogate
www.ukcraftfairs.com/craft-events/23800/henley-craft-and-gift-market
Henley has become most popular location since it was started 9 years ago. It draws a range of visitors between 400 and 800 customers. Henley-on-Thames is the place for the crafty activity attended by the stallholders by the local artisans. It is for Christmas shopping supporting independent designers.
DECEMBER 2023
Crafts in the Park
December 11-12, Monday to Tuesday
Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Aylsham, Norfolk
www.ukcraftfairs.com/craft-events/24192/crafts-int-the-park
The winter craft is covered and you will find local made supplies like Norfolk yarn which is ideal for felting and knitting.
Christmas Artisan Craft and Gift Fair
December 17, Sunday
One Warwick Park Hotel, Tunbridge Wells
www.ukcraftfairs.com/craft-events/23928/tunbridge-wells-christmas-artisan-craft-and-gift-markets
It is held in One Warwick Park Hotel, a boutique hotel in Tunbridge Wells. This craft fair is the week before Christmas. It is the last minute to snap up stocking fillers and handmade goodies and Christmas cards.
JANUARY 2024
Crafting Live
January 19-20, Friday to Saturday
Sandown Park Racecourse, Surrey
www.craftinglive.co.uk/shows.sandown/
Stephanie Weightman, the craft expert, is hosting the annual craft show in Sandhurst with a focus on paper crafting. She is hosting the workshops for essentials in making cardmaking and other paper projects like stamps, die-cuts and decoupage materials.
FEBRUARY 2024
Unravel
February 23-25, Friday to Sunday
Farnham Maltings, Surrey
www.farnhammaltings.com/artists-and-makers/craft/festivals/unravel
Unravel is the biggest yarn event in the South East of England. It is showing yarns for knitting, crochet, spinning and weaving. There are craft workshops with special techniques like Shetland lace and dyeing.
Unravel festival of yarn is the largest independent yarn show in the South East of England.
MARCH 2024
The Scottish Quilting show, Glasgow
March 7-9, Thursday to Friday
Scottish Event Campus (SEC)
www.ticketsales.ichf.co.uk/#
It is Scotland’s largest craft show for quilters. This quilt exhibition is definitely useful to get inspiration.
Craft Festival, Cheltenham
March 8-10, Friday to Sunday
Cheltenham Town Hall, Gloucester
www.craftfestival.co.uk/Call-for-Entries-Cheltenham-March-2024/
It is now in its sixth year, the Craft Festival Cheltenham has a hundred exhibitions showcasing the best designer makers from across the UK. You can find jewelry, ceramics, furniture, work by textile artists, and glass.
Crafterama
March 25, Monday
Gateshead Stadium
www.crafterama.co.uk
Crafterama is one of the few craft shows that covers all craft mediums. It is from needle felting to resin crafts, journaling to decoupage. It is to start the new creative hobby.
Sewing for Pleasure, Birmingham
Fashion and Embroidery, Birmingham
The Creative Crafts Show, Birmingham
March 14-17, Thursday to Sunday
National Exhibition Center (NEC)
www.ticketsales.ichf.co.uk/#
The three shows are showing at the same time. They are covering:
Sewing for Pleasure, Birmingham – It is the lining up of the latest stitching suppliers and get inspiration for sewing, patchwork and knitting projects. The chance to try out new sewing machines, overlocks and learn new techniques to improve your sewing skills.
Fashion and Embroidery, Birmingham – It is a fabric-themed craft show and in the catwalk you can see handmade clothes. There are sewing patterns that are available.
The Creative Crafts Show, Birmingham – It is a show for knitting, cross-stitch, paper crafting, jewelry, dressmaking with the latest supplies, ideas and innovations.
The Stitch Festival
March 21-24, Thursday to Sunday
Business Design Center, London
www.thestitchfestival.co.uk
It is the ultimate craft for sewing enthusiasts for dressmaking, or for the fan of the “Great British Sewing Bee”, a TV series showing every time a new batch of contestants competing for the title of Britain’s Best Amateur Sewer. It is the festival for those sewing enthusiasts who want to try clothes-making.
APRIL 2024
The Stitching For All Shows
Craft4Crafters
April 4-6. Thursday to Saturday
Westpoint Arena, Exerter
www.craft4crafters.co.uk/stitching-4-all-westpoint
The Stitching For All Shows – It is the craft show bringing together sewing, fashion, knitting and quilting. In the show there are a wide range of workshops, demonstrations from experts who can answer questions and you can shop from specialist craft suppliers.
Craft4Crafters – It is the sister event to The Stitching For all Shows where you can find paper-crafts, jewelry-making, printing and scrapbooking. There are workshops for creative lectures
British Quilt & Stitch Village, Uttoxeter
April 12-14, Friday to Sunday
Uttoxeter Racecourse, Staffordshire
The North West’s biggest show for patchworks, quilts and embroidery
MAY 2024
Living Crafts Festival, Hatfield
May 9-12, Thursday to Sunday
Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire
www.livingcrafts.co.uk
Living Crafts is celebrating its 50 years. It is showing contemporary arts and crafts by those talented British designer-makers. It is held in the beautiful parkland of Hartfield House in Hertfordshire. At the show there are crafts workshops.
JUNE 2024
Handmade Oxford
June 21-23, Friday to Sunday
Waterperry Gardens, Oxford
www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk/event/handmade-oxford/
It is a mix of craft show and a summer festival. It has workshops and a program of artists talking and an artisan food market. It is the fourth edition of Handmade Oxford and it brings over 150 UK-based makers on arts and crafts including jewelry, fashion and textiles, ceramics and glass, sculpture. Visitors can make use of the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful English gardens.
JULY 2024
Craft on Crafting
July 20-24, Saturday to Wednesday
South of England Showground, East Sussex
www.carryoncraftingfestival.co.uk
It has crafting classes, craft demos, craft suppliers and also great food. It is also the only craft shows in the UK you can camp at, in your motorhomes, caravans and tents. It is their third show and they are showing it on the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex.
AUGUST 2024
Contemporary Craft Fair, Essex
August 23-26, Friday to Monday
RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Essex
www.craftinfocus.com
This annual event brings professional crafters and craft lovers together to share the joy of handmade pieces. If you visit their website, you can find different fairs in 2024. They promote local talented crafters. They are held in different locations and usually in the English gardens.
SEPTEMBER 2024
Craft in Focus Contemporary Craft Fair
September 12-15, Thursday to Sunday
Hever Castle & Gardens
www.craftinfocus.com
This craft show is on a beautiful location. The show is showcasing professional crafters their work. Those hobbyists can come to be inspired.
Yarndale, Yorkshire
September 28-29, Sunday to Monday
Auction Mart, Skipton
www.yarndale.co.uk
The craft festival brings together 180 makers, craft makers, retailers and artisans in the market town of Skipton, North Yorkshire. It is the world of woolly crafts with the latest yarns in colors and textures.
OCTOBER 2024
The Knitting & Stitching Show
October 10-13, Thursday to Sunday
Alexandra Palace, London
www.theknittingand stitchingshow.com/london/
This is one of the largest annual craft shows in the UK. It is known as the epic show where visitors can see world-class craft exhibitions.
Closing Remark
As aforesaid, craft shows are also known as craft fairs or craft exhibitions, and they are events where artisans, crafters and even hobbyists gather together to display and sell their handmade and handcrafted goods. These shows can provide the platform for individuals to showcase their creative talents and offer the unique, one-of-a-kind items to the publics. The key aspects of craft shows which you can refer to the following categories:
- Jewelry;
- Pottery and ceramics;
- Textiles and fabric arts;
- Woodwork;
- Glassblowing and stained glass;
- Metalwork;
- Paper crafts;
- Painting and fine arts;
- Sculpture;
- Food and culinary crafts
Craft shows are held in various locations, such as community centers, parks, fairgrounds, school campus and even convention centers.
The craft shows are usually crossing the weekends and very often the communities would host seasonal craft fairs, especially those holiday markets.
We have to mention about the food vendors as not only they can show their culinary skills, and also their booths at the craft fairs are most popular.
You are welcome to visit the following website.
