Clare Priory to celebrate 30th annual Craft Fair in Suffolk
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Clare Priory’s Craft Fair, a highlight of Suffolk’s summer events, returns July 13 and 14, showcasing 150 stalls, music, and family fun in a historic setting.
Clare Priory is set to host its 30th annual Craft Fair, marking a significant moment for one of Suffolk’s favourite summer gatherings. Scheduled for July 13 and 14, 2024, this volunteer-led fundraiser is set against the historic backdrop of the 13th-century Augustinian Priory in Clare.
Launched in 1993, the Clare Priory Craft Fair has grown into possibly East Anglia’s largest craft events, attracting around 5,000 visitors each year. With a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2024 fair marks a significant milestone, showcasing 150 craft stalls in the picturesque grounds near Clare Country Park and the Norman Castle ruins.
The fair is celebrated for its high-quality offerings, authenticity, and the welcoming atmosphere created by its organisers and participants. Feedback from last year’s event highlighted the fair’s exceptional organisation, with crafters and visitors alike praising its unmatched friendliness, organisation, and overall experience.
Organised entirely by volunteers from the Clare Priory congregation, the event directs all profits to local charities and the maintenance of the historic priory and its parish. Bernard Rushton, the event organiser, said: “We are so very pleased to be launching the process of delivering our 30th Craft Fair. Every single one in the past has been a super success and we are all looking forward to repeating this in July with our great team of dedicated volunteers and helpers, without whom it would not be possible.”
In addition to showcasing genuine craft exhibitors, the 2024 fair will feature music, children’s entertainment, and refreshments, including the ever-popular beer tent. Parish Priest, Fr George Donaghy OSA said: “Once more we bring a bit of fun and razzamatazz to the normally tranquil surroundings of Clare Priory. I love it and I know it’s a great hit with our parishioners, crafters and visitors alike. Long may it continue.”
Clare Priory, a centre for prayer, retreat, and home to the parish of Our Mother of Good Counsel, continues to blend historical significance with contemporary festivity through its annual Craft Fair. As bookings for crafters open in March, the event is set to once again celebrate craftsmanship, community, and charity in the historic heart of Suffolk.
