Gourmet market to give out seasonal vibe

Kim Renshaw and Jacoline Venter. Photo / John Borren

Candles and carols will bring the Christmas spirit to those attending next week's Gourmet Night Market.

Like the usual night market, Coronation Park will have 60 food stalls set up on December 19.

But this event, dubbed A Community Christmas, will have bands and choirs performing throughout the evening, rounded off by carols and candles.

"It's going to be awesome," organiser Kim Renshaw said.

"It's a typical Gourmet Night Market event but we wanted to Christmas it up a little and give the community something a bit different to other events."

The evening will start with an acoustic set from Mount Maunganui College band Joe's Van, followed by musicians Aaron and Alicesea. Later, children's choir Inspire will start the carols, followed at 9pm by Tauranga Civic Choir.

The candles will be lit at this time. Ms Renshaw said alongside the regular stalls, next Friday's event would also have a Kid's Market.

"There's going to be 10 stalls run by kids and their parents for kids wanting to make wrapping paper or things like that to give them a taste of the market.

"We thought it would be really cool to give them a table to make little crafts and things to sell them."

Ms Renshaw said A Community Christmas would likely not be on the same scale as other Christmas events on the area such as Christmas in the Park or the Bethlehem A Night Before Christmas.

"We're not trying to do anything like what those events are doing. It's more a low-key celebration for the community and obviously there's no alcohol here. There's no cost for those people that just want to come down."

The event was inspired by the Gourmet Night Market's Earth Hour candlelight event in March, Ms Renshaw said.

"People for months went on about the candlelight event and the atmosphere it created. I thought it would be cool to do something similar around Christmas time."

There will be candles available to purchase at the market. Ms Renshaw said sheets of carol music would also be handed out to the crowd so they could sing along with the choir.

She expected the regular night market crowd of about 4000 people would attend the event.