Craft Jam spreads as 60 stallholders strut their stuff

Like-minded crafters, artists and designers from all over the country will gather at Hawke's Bay Opera House Plaza on Saturday and Sunday for a market to beat all others.

Fruit Bowl Craft Jam is an event started three years ago by craft enthusiasts Jo Pearson and Jessica Soutar Barron who also own Hastings shop Coco & Co, which displays a wide range of "slow made" wares.

"It's a bit of what you see here at Coco & Co, plus a lot more," Mrs Soutar Barron said. "Everything from the wacky goddess jocks from Wellington to the very funky prints that come from Dustys & Lulu - there are 60 stallholders so a huge selection of different stuff.

"There are all different price points, there's the cheaper stuff plus something for that special someone."

A night market will open from 5pm to 9pm on Saturday, with family-oriented fun on Sunday from 10am to 2pm.

"What's changed since the start is the level of craft, which hasn't been seen in Hawke's Bay before," Mrs Soutar Barron said. "It's a lot of fun to be there, it's like a big party."

Organisers plan to make Sunday a special family day with face painting, balloon animals, story telling, home-made lemonade and a good old-fashioned bake off.

"The baking has to include jam in some form whether it's onion jam or berry jam," she said. "It will be a fun family experience and it's free so hopefully it's a big day."