Fairs and Markets

Sunbury Antiques Market, better known simply as Kempton due to its Surrey racecourse location, last week became the first open-air fair to return after the most recent lockdown.

Dozens of London galleries are primed to open their doors to the public for the capital’s first physical mass art event in months.

Organiser Peter Binfield is hoping for fine weather and a good turnout of 100-plus dealers at the first of this year’s Vintage & Classic Arms Fairs at Kempton Park on Sunday, May 2.

The start of May is likely to be a busy period with outside fairs and markets opening up around England and Wales after a protracted lockdown hibernation. Here is a snapshot of a few of them.

This dance mask known as a takü, would have been used during rituals to mourn the dead by the Cubeo tribes of present-day Colombia and Brazil.

More than 20 LAPADA dealers have signed up to take stands at The Game Fair this summer.

The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair (DATF) has announced the launch of its latest iteration of the online platform, Digital Decorative, which was set up in response to the cancellation of its physical fairs during the pandemic.

Tony Wittridge is so smitten with the antiques business he is opening in the grounds of Kyre Park, a large country estate at Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire, that he is planning a move to the county from Essex.

Dorking Antiques was launched last August by three dealers: Mark Holden, Eddie Hawkins and David Whalley.

The London Original Print Fair (LOPF) has modified its operations to suit the current restrictions and plans a Print Week in dealers’ galleries next month.

The Affordable Art Fair has announced its live show dates this year in London, New York, Melbourne, Hong Kong and cities in Europe.

While the Museum of Power at Maldon in Essex does not yet have a firm date for reopening – to gaze at the original mighty steam-pumping machines – Steve Haddon of Haddon Events can still make use of the site.

“We are super-excited to be reopening our Flea London again on Saturday, April 17, after so long and we are planning on 27 stalls and 10 container shops here at Vinegar Yard,” enthused Christian Scrimgeour about her fleamarket held a few minutes from London Bridge Station.

After three lockdowns but also a successful auction launch last August in between closures, Graham Hessell will be throwing open the doors once again to his Melford Antiques, Interiors & Lifestyle Centre on April 12.

This coming Easter weekend may be quieter than usual but many of us can plan to meet up with family and friends again in the coming weeks and months as lockdown restrictions ease around the UK.

“It’s been heart-breaking to keep cancelling fairs as people are so keen to trade but the good news is that our event in the Westpoint Arena at the Devon Showground, Exeter, is going ahead on Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6,” says Nick Bayliss of Continuity Fairs.

Will Thomas, managing director of IACF, surely speaks for the trade with his fervent hope that successive pandemic lockdowns have now come to an end.