07/08/2026
As we approach our 21st birthday on 5 September, we wanted to share a short history of the Scottish Arts and Crafts Fair. Grab a cuppa and read on as we condense the past 21 years into a few lines. Our craft fairs began in September 2005, and we have organised the monthly events since February 2008. We run the fair as volunteers in our spare time, which keeps us very busy. Our aim has always been to offer the public a friendly free monthly event with a wide range of quality crafts, while giving crafters an affordable outlet for their work.
Troon — 2005 to 2020
The craft fair began at Troon Old Parish, where it ran for its first few months and was briefly known as “Designer Arts & Crafts Exhibition”. In 2006, we moved to Walker Hall in Troon and became “Ayrshire Arts and Crafts Fair”, with 26 stalls. As the events grew, we moved to the larger Troon Concert Hall, increasing to 40 stalls. The fair built a strong reputation and attracted more than 1,500 visitors each month. Unfortunately, after nearly 15 years in Troon, South Ayrshire Council decided to focus on music concerts. A series of venue changes made it impossible for us to continue there, so by late 2019 we were searching for a new home. In 2020, we rebranded as “Scottish Arts and Crafts Fair” because we knew we might need to look beyond Ayrshire for a suitable venue. Our event on 1 February 2020 was our last in Troon, and shortly afterwards the Covid pandemic temporarily closed all event venues.
Online — 2020 to 2021
During the pandemic, we moved online and ran “Scottish Arts & Crafts Fair Online” while we continued searching for a venue where our physical events could safely return. The online fairs gave crafters a chance to create again and reconnect with customers and friends, becoming a much-needed lifeline for many during a strange and isolating time.
Kilmarnock — 2021
In 2021, we thought we had found a new home at CentreStage in Kilmarnock, and our events returned that September. Although we were well supported by crafters and the public, the venue could not take bookings beyond June 2022. Without the security of a full year of bookings, it was not viable for us to continue, so it was back to the drawing board.
Beith — Since 2022
Enter Beith Trust, owners of Geilsland Estate, who invited us to view their venue in December 2021. We immediately saw the space’s potential and booked our return for March 2022. Amazingly we are now in our fifth year of events in Beith! Because the hall is so large, we have 54 stalls each month, along with a café & seating area where customers can enjoy drinks and food from Mocha JaK’s.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support our events. It is lovely to meet you each month, and your support makes all the hard work worthwhile. We look forward to celebrating our 21st birthday on Saturday — quite an achievement — and we would love you to join us to mark the occasion. Gifts of cake, gin and champagne are happily accepted 😁
We look forward to seeing you,
Alex & Gary 💜
