Wealden Times Midwinter Fair 2010

The thing I love most about the Wealden Times Midwinter and Midsummer Fairs is meeting the Wealden Times' readers, and market research estimates that there are 75,000 of them every month. Well over 3,000 of those readers joined us during the two days of the Midwinter Fair at Sissinghurst Castle.

Sissinghurst Castle's mellow brick farm buildings and Tudor façade created a magical backdrop for a really Christmassy day out. We held the Fair at the beginning of December - as close as was practical to Midwinter's Day - so that it would feel as festive as possible. A whole week before the gates were thrown open to the public, the tented village of marquees started going up and - what felt like an entire forest of - Christmas trees were planted around the site and lit up with tiny white lights.

We had a fabulous response from the visitors to the Fair who got into the Christmas spirit immediately, stocking up on presents, provisions and decorations and our eighty-five stand holders reported record sales. All the stands were handpicked to ensure that everything available was original and special. I think people came to the Midwinter Fair looking for something a bit different and they certainly found it. We had the most wonderful range of products, everything from traditionally carved rocking horses to vintage Christmas decorations and hand-knitted cashmere to large topiary trees.

As well as being one of the most beautiful gardens in England, Sissinghurst has a terrific literary heritage and to celebrate that we invited authors to talk about their work in the Book Barn. Writers, including novelist Sandra Howard, gardener Tom Hart-Dyke and broadcaster Stephen Bradley, entertained visitors in an oast, hung with early photographs of the garden's creators, Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson. The Thursday evening session in the Book Barn was very much a Nicolson affair; Vita and Harold's grandchildren, the writers Adam and Juliet Nicolson (who both have homes in the castle) talked about their work and their childhood memories of Sissinghurst. Also, Adam's wife the garden and food writer Sarah Raven, shared the secrets of her own family's Christmas traditions.

We get letters and enquiries daily from visitors and exhibitors who enjoyed themselves so much that they want to know when the next event will be. Plans are already underway for the next Wealden Times Midsummer Fair which will be held again on June 10, 11 and 12 at the idyllic Brick House Farm in High Halden. We had such a wonderful time there last year, we're thrilled the Cowan family have invited us all back again and we hope to see you there.

For more information on forth coming Wealden Times event visit our coming soon section