BELOVED LOCAL MARKET VIBE SET TO RETURN AND KEEP ITS HISTORY ALIVE FOR EAGER PATRONS AND STALLHOLDERS
The temporary close-down of the iconic Maitland Markets due to COVID-19 restrictions was felt with gloom across the district in March this year. It has been a central thread in the rich tapestry of cultural and artistic diversity and community connection in Maitland for over 4 decades.
Market Owner and Maitland descendant Catherine Blanch was thrilled to confirm that the community marketplace will be reopened on 2 August at its home of forty years, the Maitland Showground and unless plans are derailed by restrictions, will continue to operate as a regular economic driver for the region throughout the year.
“The Maitland Markets have been a staple event for many artisans, self-funded retires, pensioners, farmers and curious shoppers since 1980,” Mrs Blanch said. The market has acted as an incubator of small business for decades and now celebrates 4 generations of a family business.
“There are always some neat second-hand goods on sale, but the real gift of these markets is all the amazing creative works produced and sold by mainly local people with amazing talent – we’ve had so many enquiries about when the markets will start back up, people are really missing them,” she said. Boredom and loneliness are a real threat to personal wellbeing for many single, aged or isolated people and many consider the market part of their extended family stated Mrs Blanch, As do I. she said.
Stallholders thrive in the tried and tested model for buying and selling handcrafted and curated wares, and many have used the marketplace as a platform to raise much-needed funds for a range of locally focused projects and charities.
Market Owner, Catherine Blanch said that the markets started as a community project to raise money to build a tourist hut which stands in King Edward Park, East Maitland.
“This project was a huge success and showed our community how a dedicated bunch of creative people could come together and deliver on a need to drive the tourism sector in Maitland,” she said.
“Once the hut was completed, the charitable notion remained and was channeled into other local projects. To date, the Maitland Fair Markets has contributed more than two million dollars to the not-for-profit sector.”
Most graciously, it is the stallholders who drive the atmosphere and success of the markets through their diverse offerings, sold mainly at a minimal profit, but that enable social and cultural interaction for themselves, their customers, and the visiting communities.
“It’s a very harmonious atmosphere down at the showground when the markets are on. We notice the enjoyment when we’re on the run-around, and we’ve received many notes of thanks and acknowledgement that these markets are such high-quality and so enjoyable to be among,” Mrs Blanch said.
“Visitors particularly write that the markets remind them of shopping the way it used to be, at what is now recognised as Australia’s largest privately owned country market,”
“At this time, there are so many people missing that connection and we’ve put measures in place to maximise everyone’s safety because we know there are people who need to sell and treat themselves to something a bit magical that’s been closed off to them for so long.”
MORE INFORMATION
The Maitland Fair Markets are held on the first Sunday of every month except January, and run on the first and third Sundays of October, November and December.
The Markets host more than 600 sites and are a considerable tourist and economic driver for the region with visiting from as far away as Gunnedah, Tamworth, Taree and Port Macquarie. For interviews phone Market Office on 02 4962 5522
Updates to the status of the market will be made available on our web page, Facebook, Instagram
and phone office.
Catherine Blanch
Market Management