Prestigious International Winter Market for Coventry City Centre
Coventry City Centre will be taking on a very International look this Christmas with the exciting news that it’s to host an impressive International Winter Market.
Running from December 1st right up to Christmas Eve, it promises to get the city in the mood to welcome overseas visitors for next year’s Olympic Games. It’s true to say that Coventry has never seen anything like this before, this will be the biggest market of any type that has ever been brought into the city centre and will be a Christmas destination shopping experience for the region.
It features an indoor Tunisian bazaar with artisans and craftsman, presented within a traditionally decorated 16 meter marquee, complete with authentic music, belly dancers and the ambient buzz of a North African street market. Effectively a souk full of everything that is handmade and handcrafted in Tunisia, from beautiful hand painted tiles, ceramics, drums, shisha, spices, cooking tagines, hand blown glass, wicker baskets, leather goods, olive wood ornaments, hand painted paintings, terra cotta lamps, Tunisian traditional clothes, etc. The staff inside the marquee will be dressed in typical Tunisian clothes. Tunisian Music will be played for the entertainment of shoppers and traditional craftsmen, artists and chefs will be demonstrating their skills throughout the day.
For the first time Market Way will be opened up, allowing many more stalls to meander down the Precinct linking into traditional Christmas market stalls in other areas of the City centre.
Other areas have been ear-marked for more international stalls to link in to the market should we continue to receive applications to take part. Stalls have also been made available within the market for local ethnic community groups to promote the diversity of Coventry's community.
One of the highlights of the experience will be a large traditional wooden chalet selling Bavarian beer and glubwine, opposite which a matching bratwurst sausage house will be sited, imported especially for the event. Many other stalls represent, France ,Spain, Greece, Lebanon, Iran, India, Morocco, Egypt and being added to all the time, all carefully selected to enhance the city's Christmas retail offer.
Cllr Linda Bigham, Cabinet Member for City Development, said: "With the international street market offering produce form all over the world and with so much going on in the city centre, it brings a unique feel to Coventry's Christmas shopping."
Winter shoppers are advised to leave their passports at home but instead bring a healthy appetite and some spare cash to land a unique Christmas present (or two).