MORE than 50 traders will join the returning 'Makers Market' this summer.

A range of bespoke items including handmade jewellery, homewares, one-off items of fashion and affordable art will be available from stalls in Blackburn's King George's Hall on June 15 and 16.

And visitors to the market will he able to see artists and crafts people at work on their wares.

It will again be one of the highlights of the National Festival Making returning to Blackburn town centre for its third year.

Visitors to the Makers Market will be able to .buy goods ranging from custard cream cushions to black pepper candles and ‘rock and roll’ jewellery made from old guitar strings.

There will be special workshops – including demonstrations on block and screen printing, willow weaving and yupo paper painting.

Lauren Zawadzki, co-director of The National Festival of Making, said: “The Maker’s Market is a popular port of call for festival visitors, who come to Blackburn in growing numbers from around the country to search out one-off making experiences as well as something special to take home at the end of the weekend.

“There’s an emphasis on bringing specifically handmade products and specialist skills to wider attention, as well as recognising and supporting the spirit and hard work of independent, small businesses and the 2019 line-up is no different.”

Festival organisers have teamed up with market curators, Hopeful and Glorious to attract some of the UK’s most exciting independent makers.

They include Manchester’s InkFlo Store, Posner and Posner, String Effects, The Mountain and Me, Uzma Padia, Cushii and The Old Man and Magpie.