A new weekly market with a difference will open in West End on Saturday 12 November from 4-9pm.
Brisbane seems to be in a market frenzy at the moment, with new ventures springing up left, right and centre. But the soon-to-be-launched
West End Twilight Markets are aiming to stand out from the crowd, with an original approach that seems set to distinguish them from other Brisbane markets.
For a start, they'll be held in an old hangar on the corner of Boundary and Wilson streets, just off West End's main drag. (The site is behind the ANZ Bank and opposite the Hi-Fi, for those who know the area.) It's an unusual choice of venue, and I'll be interested to see what they do to bring this old building to life.
Second, the organisers have made an effort to lure some stallholders that you haven't already seen at other markets -- no easy feat when you consider how many markets now operate in Brisbane. Alongside the usual (and welcome) coffee, cakes, food, and vintage treasures will be zines, typewriters, an 'interview stall', and what are described as 'other novelties'. You'll obviously need to get along to see just who is there on the day.
But perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the new markets will be their emphasis on live performance and visual art. The organisers are promising acapella, cabaret, circus, spoken word, art installations, and more. Oh, and ping pong (though I'm not sure if that's part of the performance art or just a game you can join in on if you like).
The markets are the brainchild of West End locals Scott Russell and Sally Molloy, who describe them as 'a present for our community -- with love'. If you want to share in that love (and hopefully give some of your own), head down to the hangar on the 12th and be there for opening day.
