Festive pop-up shop is a marketplace for local artists, designers and food producers

A pop-up festive shop has opened in Forres bringing a wide and varied selection of locally made food and festive gifts.

The high street outlet, operated by Findhorn Bay Arts at 86 High Street, will open from Wednesday to Saturday every week until Christmas, where several pop-ups have operated recently, including The Bakehouse in Findhorn which occupied it through the summer months selling organic fruit, veg and bakery produce.

Stock is made by local food producers, artists, designers and makers, as well as a few guest artists from Wales and Northern Ireland which fit the organisation’s work ethic. 

Local artist Jen Cantwell will be based in the shop as Findhorn Bay Arts’ maker-in-residence. She’ll be making hand-made Christmas Crackers and running up-cycling workshops on the premises.

Other local artists, makers and producers who will have stock in the shop include: 

  • Selena Kuzman ‘One of a Kind’ – an artist who makes recycled plastic jewellery & wreaths
  • Karen Collins‘Naturally Useful’ – hand-made willow baskets from local willow using traditional basket weaving methods. 
  • Bee Home Cottage – a cottage manufacturer of palm-free, plant-based shampoo and body soaps made with organic ingredients. All products are handmade by Lisa Wolff and John Finch from their cottage in Rafford.
  • Mountain Cafe – a bakery and shop in Grantown-on-Spey making jams, chutneys, granola and will also be selling their Mountain Cafe cookbook.
  • Barking Mad Textiles in Huntly – reusable face wipes, coffee sack tote bags and soy candles. 
  • Park Pottery in Findhorn – an array of pottery including bowls, cups and mugs.
  • The Way to Blue is a guest artist from North Wales and we’ll be selling their cyanotype vases and candle holders – a unique gift for all nature lovers. 
  • Local illustrator, Rosie Balyuzi, will be selling her hand-made Christmas Cards
  • From Northern Ireland, we have another guest artist, Dearbhla Reynolds, ’The Cultured Club’ – dedicated to the art of making fermented and cultured foods and is at the forefront of its current domestic revival. We will be selling her cookbook & master tonic – a natural anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic tonic to take us through the winter months of cold and flu season. 
  • We will also have a selection of products from The Bakehouse Findhorn, Gateaux Regale and local cook Emma Swann

Kresanna Aigner, a director at Findhorn Bay Arts:, said: “Food, culture, and creative regeneration have always been an integral element of our work and our Festive Market Shop will offer a new festive experience and will put the spotlight on our wonderful Moray-based makers, artists and producers. It’s great to be able to offer the local community an exciting shopping experience right on their own doorstep”.

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