LICHFIELD FARMERS' MARKET GOES TO LIMBURG

Published: 23 October 2008

Christmas Market stalls on Neumarkt, Limburg, 2007

German Christmas markets are always popular in the UK, but this year the trend will be reversed when a Lichfield Farmers' Market trader goes to the Christmas Market in Lichfield's German twin town of Limburg. Martin Vickers, who owns the Halfpenny Green Vineyards and Craft Centre near Bobbington in South Staffordshire, has regularly supported the Lichfield Farmers' Market and the annual Lichfield Festival's Medieval Market. When Lichfield was offered the opportunity for a trader to sell for one week on Limburg's Christmas market at the beginning of December, he jumped at the opportunity.

Martin will be taking his grape wines, fruit wines, liqueurs, ciders, jams and pickles across to Limburg, which is located mid-way between Cologne and Frankfurt. He hopes that his German customers will want to take home a taste of England with their Christmas shopping. The Christkindlmarkt runs for 4 weeks, and the Limburg Twinning Association is hiring the little wooden hut, so that traders from their three twin towns can sell their produce in the city. Limburg is a favourite destination for tourists with its impressive cathedral and attractive medieval half-timbered houses in the Old Town, where much of the Christmas market will be found.

Lichfield's popular Farmers' Market will be held again next month on Thursday 6 November, from 9am until 3pm, on the Market Square. Halfpenny Green Vineyards will be represented, as will the other regular traders, selling their wide selection of tempting produce, all locally grown, brewed, baked or pickled. Be sure to be there early! The last Farmers' Market for 2008 will be held on Thursday 4 December.

For more information about Lichfield's twin towns and twinning activities, contact Julie Dewhurst, the City Council's Twinning Officer, on tel: 01543 309851.