October 23, 2012
Kingaroy business owner Kathy Cope is helping to bring Ipswich’s popular “The Homemade Expo” to Kingaroy.
The expo was begun four years ago by mother and daughter team Micky and Liesa (twin sisters) and mother Miriam.
The family had a passion for both markets and handmade goods. Having travelled around south-east Queensland to attend different markets, they realised there was nothing like a fully handmade-only market in Ipswich. And the idea quickly caught on …
The Handmade Expo is now a permanent fixture on the events calendar in Ipswich and has travelled widely, including to Goondiwindi, Warwick, the Jondaryan Woolshed, Forest Hill and Laidley.
“We want to bring to Kingaroy what we are so lucky to have here in Ipswich. A market with such talented stallholders creating anything you can imagine,” said Miriam Bain, a partner in the market.
Kathy Cope, who operates the Kingaroy cake shop Cake & Whimsy, will be the face of The Handmade Market in Kingaroy.
“We wanted to find someone with the local knowledge of what the locals want, has a passion for handmade and the knowledge of shop local / spend local, so all the advertising, signage and everything else is done locally. We are all very passionate about shopping local,” Micky said.
The market will be run for the first time in the Kingaroy Town Hall on Sunday, November 18, from 9:00am to 2:00pm.
The market aims to give local home-based handmade businesses an opportunity to have a regular shopfront, as well as attracting existing stallholders who currently attend the Ipswich market.
“We have such a large following that we know a lot of people will attend from all around south-east Queensland. This will become a tourist market that people will want to stop and have a look at, bringing people to the lovely town of Kingaroy,” Liesa said.
The Handmade Expo is looking for local stallholders, so if you are a “handmadie”, foodie, grower, busker or facepainter, and fit within the guidelines of the market, visit their website
“We have booked in for the next 12 months and we are confident that you are going to love The Handmade Expo as much as we do,” Miriam said.
The Handmade Expo will be at Kingaroy Town Hall and the Glendon Street Forecourt from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Sundays: November 18, December 16, February 17, March 17 and April 21.
Potential stallholders should download the Stallholder guidelines
For more information, contact Kathy by email
