Whalley blooms as Artisan Market returns this Sunday

Whalley Artisan Market returns to the Swan car park on King Street this Sunday, 28 June, from 11am to 4pm, and arrives with the village in full bloom.

Hundreds of visitors poured into Whalley for the last market, filling the centre with shoppers and lining the stalls of independent makers offering handmade goods, original artwork, homeware, gifts and speciality food. Several King Street businesses threw open their doors to welcome the extra footfall, and the day proved once again that Whalley knows how to put on a show.

This Sunday promises more of the same, with live music from Blow Jangles setting the tone and a fresh wave of new makers launching their businesses to the public for the very first time.

Now in its fifteenth year, Whalley Artisan Market has grown from a local fixture into one of the Ribble Valley's best loved monthly events. Free to enter and open to all, it has built a reputation as the place where established makers and first time stallholders trade side by side, where families spend the day, and where the village shows off the very best of itself.

And there has never been more to show off. King Street is enjoying a remarkable run of confidence. Michelin starred Northcote, just along the road in Langho, has acquired the former bank at 69 King Street and submitted plans for an artisan bakery and chocolatier, with signage in the window promising that something exceptional is taking shape. A short walk away, the historic Dog Inn is undergoing a £250,000 refurbishment, reopening in mid July under new local management while keeping every bit of its character.

The momentum reaches well beyond the village too. This August the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women will bring the world's top cyclists through the Ribble Valley, with the second stage starting in nearby Clitheroe, and the Tour de France is due to follow in 2027. For a market that has spent fifteen years championing local makers, it is a fitting backdrop. Exciting times lie ahead.

"Fifteen years in and the buzz still hasn't faded," said Laura E Johnson, founder of Crafty Vintage, which runs the market. "What keeps us going is the people. We watch home crafters become confident traders and weekend hobbyists grow into full time creatives, and it all starts with someone walking through the stalls and thinking, I could do this too. With everything happening on King Street right now, there has never been a better time to be part of Whalley."

Cllr John Atherton, Independent member for Whalley and Painter Wood on Ribble Valley Borough Council, said: "Whalley has so much to be proud of, and days like these show the village at its best. Plans are afoot to bring our businesses, traders and local organisations closer together so we can boost the village's profile collectively and shout about everything we have to offer. Whalley is a place of culture, commerce and creativity, and working as one is how we keep it that way."

The next Whalley Artisan Market takes place on Sunday 28 June, 11am to 4pm, at the Swan car park, King Street, Whalley, BB7 9SN. Entry is free.

Photographs from recent markets are available here: