Celebrating its 10th year, Bowerbird Design Market returns to the Adelaide Showground this weekend with a plethora of artisan makers and designers showcasing the latest in fashion, art and design across three days, all washed down with a healthy dose of food, coffee and beverage providers.

Words Ben Kelly

The twice-yearly event is anticipated to draw a large crowd looking to pick up a gift for Mother’s Day, with more than 200 stallholders showcasing artisan wares from Friday, May 3 to Sunday, 5.

Bowerbird was co-founded by local jewellery maker Jane Barwick in 2009, recognising the need for a platform for artisan makers to sell direct to the public. Now, the event attracts makers from across the country.

Sixty new stallholders have been added to the line-up and the overall visitor experience has been supercharged with artist workshops, an art exhibition and more food and drink providers to satiate hungry market-goers.

“We’re partnering with Adelaide Central School of Art to host a large exhibition at Bowerbird and run fun drawing workshops on the Friday night, accompanied with a glass of wine,” Jane says. Visitors will be able to purchase work from the exhibition.

Friday night, 4pm to 9pm, will be a social night of drinks, food and shopping to kick-start the weekend with a DJ, cocktails and roving drinks trolleys. “The food options are delicious, and also extend the artisan themes of the event,” Jane says.

New food offerings include The Lost Loaf, Sassi Icecream, La Bastide and Quince Catering. The bar features a line-up of local beverages that include non-alcoholic winter warmers from Juice Junkies, creations from Scull Kombucha and, of course, coffee.

South Australian start-up, Nailbreak will offer manicures at their pop-up manicure bar throughout the weekend, while KIDDO Corner will run on Saturday and Sunday as a hub for kids, with craft activities run by Mini Mad Things and workshops twice-a-day.

Other workshops include cocktail classes with Prohibition Liquor Co, contemporary weaving with Melbourne’s Rachel Wood, clay tea set making with local ceramicist Xanthe Murphy, and resin jewellery with Emma Cuppleditch.

Union St Printmakers will run a printmaking hub on Sunday, when Simone Tippett will demonstrate different styles of printmaking and encourage people to have a go.

“Incorporating making and workshops into the event has always been important to us for people to get involved, inspired and remind them just how much work goes into the making process,” Jane says.

Bowerbird Design Market runs from May 3 to 5 at the Adelaide Showground, opening Friday 4pm to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm. Entry is $5.

bowerbird.net.au