A showcase for producers and a unique festive experience for shoppersSeveral local artists and designers will exhibit
DECORATED towns and villages where lights are starting to be turned on are a welcome reminder that we are moving closer to festive celebrations.
There are plenty of to-do, shopping and gifts lists to be ticked off over the coming weeks. While people many not be able to shop local for all their needs, sourcing handmade gifts that have been produced locally can be particularly thoughtful and brings a feel-good factor too. There are several craftspeople from the region showcasing their unique gifts and produce at Galway's Local Food and Craft Gift Fair which will attract thousands of visitors.
Organised by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), the fair at Galway’s Black Box Theatre returns this year with an extended six-day run as opposed to its usual two-day tradition.
Designers and artisans from all over Galway will feature their Christmas decorations and gift collections at over 50 stalls. We've caught up with some of them to get an insight into their work.
LEAH O'GRADY
A passionate illustrator from Tuam, known for her art featuring Irish pubs and vintage Irish stamps, Leah O’Grady is excited to participate in the fair for the first time.
Leah is a Special Needs Assistant by profession. She decided to use her free time during the pandemic lockdowns to focus on her artistic hobby of drawing and illustrating.
She started out with prints of her illustrations and later moved on to having them on cushions, tote bags and ceramics.
Leah explains that her popular Irish pubs illustrations were inspired from a painting she saw on the window of Quinn's sweet shop in Tuam.
“It was during the West’s Awake (in 2023), there was a painting of The Saw Doctors in the sweet shop’s window. I took a picture of it, uploaded on social media and people liked it,” said Leah.
Read the full story in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, on sale in shops or buy our digital edition here
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MICHELE Chambers, ceramicist from Athenry will be at the fair. Photo: Martina Regan PhotographyImage 2 of 3
TUAM artist Leah O’Grady at work in her home in Tuam. Photo: Ray Ryan RAY RYANImage 3 of 3
GARY Vaughan of Galway Cider will be offering an alcohol-free warm cider at the fair this weekend. 8Photo: Martina ReganCRAFT AND GIFT FAIR
Beginning this Thursday, November 27, the festive fair will run throughout the weekend, closing on Tuesday evening, December 2. Up to 60 stall holders and exhibitors will showcase their products across the six days, and there’ll be plenty of entertainment to ensure there’s something for all the family.
On Thursday, Galway Bay FM’s Ronan Lardner will kick off Christmas with a live broadcast from the Black Box from 12noon to 3pm.
There’ll be music from the Out of Towners from 4.30pm until 6pm, with the Fair running until 7pm. On Friday, the band will be back with live music from 3.30pm until 6.30pm, and Santa will also be spreading festive cheer from 4pm to 7pm.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Fair will open at 10am, with the Out of Towners playing from 12noon to 6pm and the ever-popular Bernardo the Magician wowing the crowd from 12noon to 4pm. Monday and Tuesday will also see the event open at 10am, with Santa returning from 12noon to 5pm on Monday, and the TLC Choir performing on Tuesday between 12noon and 1pm.
Organised annually by Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Galway, the Fair will showcase the very best of the county’s artisan producers and the event is expected to attract up to 15,000 shoppers across the six days.
As an added bonus this year, 14 free bus routes will operate from towns all over Galway, taking groups to the Christmas Fair at the Black Box Theatre.