A Christmassy Week

Last week was a super Christmassy one for our appropriately named Christmas Steps Arts Quarter.  Thursday the 1st December saw the switch-on of the Christmas Steps Christmas lights and Saturday saw the 3rd annual Christmas Steps, Christmas Artisan Market.

The switch-on event was a real heart-warming community one, with the school Choir from St Micheal's coming down to sing us some carols before the plunging of the plunger to light up the Steps.  Before the carols we were also treated to the bells of St Michael's on the Mount Without church, which rang out across the Arts Quarter to summon everyone to a Christmassy state of mind.  The mulled wine, mince pies and sweets were decimated within seconds by excited children and adults alike, but luckily Jenny Life Gallery were also keeping everyone warm with mulled wine and treats, and Bristol Cider Shop had delicious mulled cider too.  Here are some pics from the happy event:

Testing the lights before installing them, they look like a light-meadow!

'Testing' the magical plunger before the switch-on. Look at the excited face!

The snack table was very popular!

Waiting for the carols to begin

A very dark one of the lovely school choir!

Aaaand, after!

Best view in the house.

The Christmas Artisan Market was also extremely Christmassy, naturally!  We were all so pleased at how well it went, we think it was definitely the best we've ever had, as it didn't rain and the sky stayed the lovely wintry blue all day.  On top of the blessed weather, it was also the busiest Artisan Market we've ever had both in terms of the amazing selection of stallholders and foot fall too.  All in all it was fantastic!  Here's a few pics:

Urban Fringe extended the market with their lovely stall at the very top of the Steps

The loveliest view in all of Bristol!

Getting busier...

Some last minute adjustments

The busy courtyard at the bottom of the Steps

David Taylor's human jukebox entertained the shoppers in SHOP at 19 Christmas Steps

THE HOME OF CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

On Saturday 3^rd December, from 11am – 4pm, the beautiful and intriguing Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, in keeping with its reputation for independent artisan traders, is hosting a Christmas Artisan Market on the unique and festively name Christmas Steps themselves.

Come along for a lovely afternoon and experience the wonderful teetering charm of the artisans’ stalls cascading down the Steps, showcasing the high standard of beautiful crafts and wares – everything from sweets to frilly knickers, original art works and handmade instruments, providing you with the perfect opportunity to pick up local, handmade and fully unique Christmas presents.

There will be stacks of festive cheer with the famous Steps Christmas lights, as well as carols and mulled cider a-plenty and if that weren’t enough, there are many other artisan traders and businesses in this unique and beautiful site in Bristol’s city centre, as well as great places to eat and drink.

***********************

When was the last time you took a walk down a different street?  The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter consists of eight unique streets in Bristol's old city, lined with independent shops, art galleries, bars, cafes and more than a few surprises, where artisans and creative traders work side by side to keep this diverse corner of Bristol as unusual as it's been throughout its long and intriguing history.

Book Your CHRISTMAS Stall Here!

For full information about the market and to book a pitch, download an application form HERE.

The next Artisan Market will take place on the 3rd December from 11am - 4pm and will super-Christmassy as befits our wonderful address.

Double Market Weekend in June!

The first weekend of June the Christmas Steps is welcoming not only our regular first Saturday of the month Artisan Market on the 4th, but a farmers' market on the Friday the 3rd as well!

So you can stock up on edible goodies on the Friday and return for the Artisan Market on the Saturday!

The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter's only hotel - Hotel du Vin has organised the Friday farmers' market and it will take place from 11am to 3pm.  Stallholders include: Pieminister, Guilbert's Chocolates, the Steps own Bristol Cider Shop, Bristol Beer Factory and Herbert's Bakery.

MAY ARTISAN MARKET

May's Artisan Market managed to stay dry despite being sandwiched between two openings of the heavens.  Although this time, at least three stallholders wouldn't have minded, as we had a new indoor space to house them in!  It's just a temporary measure whilst there is an empty shop, but it did add some extra interest on a narrow slopy street where the options of having a 'rearrange' aren't that plentiful!

Not that we don't love out narrow, slopy street!  It is rather beautiful.  

Here are a few pics from the day and don't forget that you can download application forms for the market on this very blog.

 Bicyles and clarinets

 Arty shot of the bunting!

 Special indoorness

 Cakes and smiles - they always go together

An overview, view

April Artisan Market!

April blessed us with no showers and lovely sunshine, as well as some new, even lovelier stallholders!

Here's a few pictures to illustrate our point:

Portuguese Soul Food and Central Roses

Poco Drom's magical yellow tent!

One from the Artisan Market helicopter...

  

Unfortunate woman/gazebo fusion

 Balloons and laughter, that's what our Artisan Market's made from

  

Emma Frances doing some on-the-spot Artisan-ing, artistically captures through an apron, thank you!

Beautiful glass birdies from Robyn Coetzee float prettily at the bottom of the Steps

Robyn Coetzee maybe no relation to the Nobel Prize for Literature winner (or is she?!), but that doesn't matter because her birdies are the bestest.

Margarita peeks out from behind her beautiful hand made children's clothes.

   

Uzuri natural skincare products packaging up some nourishing loveliness.

Ole Ole, Soul Food, flowers and cobbles - come ahn, what more could you possibly ask for?!

BYE BYE SCAFFOLDING!

It's a happy happy day on the Steps, the scaffolding that has blighted the Steps for the past two Artisan Markets (and just in general) is finally coming down!

This means we are looking forward to April's Artisan Market even more than we were anyway!

Here's how thought the Steps looked while the scaffold was here:

And here's how they look now:

MARCH ARTISAN MARKET!

March's Artisan Market was ... well, very VERY cold!  We were all pretty annoyed at the apparent cancellation of spring and fall back into what felt like December, but our stallholders are NOT moaners, they are a steely lot and they braved it like really brave types.

We had some new faces this time, as well as some familiar and some that are familiar but we haven't seen for a while.  We enjoyed Inner Spirals, Bloom & Curll, Poco Drom, Hatters Tea Party and Lily Grace Orginals - and no, they aren't all cocktails, they are very talented Artisans!  There were many more fabulous artisans at the market, but here's a few of them, those that have the likes of websites and blogs and such like:

Great and Sewn: http://www.allcreaturesgreatandsewn.webs.com

Poco Drom: http://www.pocodrom.com 

Lily Grace Originals: http://LilygraceOriginals.etsy.com

Inner Spirals: http://innerspiral.blogspot.com/

And here's some pics too!

For April, we're thinking Easter Egg Hunt on the Steps?  Yeah!

 Homeware made from old records!

 Stalls a-top the cobbles, yes!

 Frilly-Knickers-Joe putting up some of her lovely bunting.

 Ace customised, retro tables with Emma Downer Professional next door.

 Romi and her gorgeous jewelleryand prints, with Poco Drom peeking in from the left.

 Poco Drom returned to the Artisan Market after a gap whilst they learnt to drive - that's dedication!

 Amazing fascinators and hair accessories from Hatter's Tea Party.

 One from the top, with Lily Grace Originals and Great and Sewn peeking in

 Inner Spirals brave the Steps despite their hula hoops being at risk of running away!

 Happy Bakery says 'Save Venue'!

An inner view of Inner Spirals stall!