The first ever Honkytonks Night Market kicked-off last Wednesday showcasing local artists, designers, crafters, music records and even terrariums (minus any spiders to my relief!). Walking up towards Honkytonks, the whole vicinity was infused with the smell of Mexican spice as Honkytonks’ resident DJ flooded the area with upbeat house tunes.
Following on from HonkyTonkys ‘Wednesdays on the Wall’ – where local artists have the opportunity to exhibit (and sell) their creations – the Night Market was also about supporting our local talent, along with the sweet combination of my two favourite things: shopping and food.
The small and cosy marquee outside Honkytonks’ front door was hung with huge beautiful lanterns and a couple of ferns (which my inner-hipster totally embraced), providing a funky and casual vibe.
If you were lucky to squeeze your way through the space and see each of the uniquely displayed stalls you would have discovered a collection of treasures. The scope was amazing – ranging from hand-drawn Disney-inspired prints and jewellery from Diana Lawrence, insane suitcase stereos by Encase, a massive collection of vinyl records via Landspeed Records and loads more. meanwhjile, fashionistas flocked to incredible vintage clothing from both Yellow Canary and the always-amazing April’s Caravan. A definite highlight for me were the stunning prints by Britt Nichols.
The event was a little bit unorganised, but the relaxed atmosphere and great stalls made it a worthwhile trip on a cold Canberra evening, and I look forward to seeing how the next market expands and develops. It’s hard to think they could pack any more into such a small space, so if you are thinking about checking out the next Night Market, get there early and being prepared to wait a while to make it up to each stall.
Overall the night was a testament to our fashion and arts scene taking another strong step forward in developing Canberra as a style capital.
