Essex and Suffolk Charity of the Year

The Secret Vintage Fair is coming back with a bang to Colchester this 2017 starting on Sunday 7th May 2017 in Colchester Town Centre, and we are thrilled to announce our charity we will be supporting this year- Autism Anglia.  At all Essex and Suffolk events we will be supporting them in a variety of ways from a proportion of the door fee, to raffle prizes and more!

Autism Anglia are an independent charity who work throughout East Anglia to ensure that people on the autism spectrum are valued, supported and celebrated as integral members of a diverse world.

Services in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, managed from offices in Colchester and Dereham, offer personalised approaches that provide each individual with the necessary skills and strategies to enable them to realise their own strengths and abilities.

The charity also seeks to promote a greater knowledge and understanding of autism through training, education and supplying information to the public and professionals.”

Autism Anglia have said “As a local independent charity we love to collaborate with local businesses to raise funds and spread acceptance of autism. We are really excited to be teaming up with The Secret Vintage Fair for this fantastic event!”

Pop over and give them a like on Facebook and join us at the Secret Colchester location to support them.  Don't forget to sign up to our mailing list to be first to know our secret location.

Secret Vintage goes 1940s in St Ives

The Secret Vintage Fair is excited to announce they are once again taking part in the 1940s Music & Dance Weekend, at Burgess Hall, St Ives, PE27 6WU

Don't miss it! Saturday 6th February 2015, 10am - 4pm! Join the Facebook event here!

We are teaming up with Huntingdonshire District Council who are holding their annual 1940's music and dance weekend and we will be running our vintage fair on the Saturday! During Saturday afternoon a selection of dance workshops will be running alongside our vintage fair...it's going to be a great day so do come along!

Itinerary for the Day:

• Secret Vintage Fair • 10am to 4pm • Admission £2 per person

A vast array of vintage purveyors selling only the finest vintage and handmade, including clothing, hair, beauty, antiques, militaria to kitchenalia and furniture.

Renactors, homefront style and vintage vehicles.

Food and drink will be available throughout the day from the on site bar/cafe.

For stall enquiries- Click here!

• Swing Dance Workshops with Rug-Cutters 
-Lindyhop 1 • 1pm-2pm
-The Peabody & Polka • 2pm-3pm
-Solo Jazz steps • 3pm-4pm
-Lindyhop 2 • 4pm-5pm
£6 per person per workshop or £20 for all four.

Then in the evening....

Feeling like a boogie woogie? Get your tickets now for the 1940s swing dance!

• Galaxy Big Band • 7pm to Midnight • Tickets £17.50
Book both nights for £25.00
Tickets available from One Leisure St Ives on 01480 388500

Plus there's a dance on Fri 5th too with the Paper Moon! More details on the facebook page here.


Hey, psst, WANT TO SEE SOME MORE PHOTOS FROM LAST YEARS EVENT?
Click here to see some photo highlights from last year!


We look forward to seeing you there- come dressed in your vintage finest if you so wish!
With much vintage love,

The Secret Vintage Fair Team! xx

SECRET VINTAGE RAISE £4K in THORPE HALL TAKEOVER!!

The Secret Vintage Fair are thoroughly excited to announce that their latest vintage takeover of THORPE HALL in Peterborough, has raised over £4,000 for the Sue Ryder Hospice!

The weekend of October 31st and November 1st, saw 1200 people attend the vintage, handmade and craft fair at the grade 1 listed mansion.

The two-day event hosted live music from renowned Electro Swing DJ Tallulah Goodtimes and Jade May Jean Peters a star from BBCs the Voice, and showcased a variety of stalls, selling vintage homewares, clothing, kitchenalia, haberdashery, steampunk, jewellery and accessories, as well as quality handmade craft items. There was also performances from the Divalicious Showgirls!  The Secret Vintage Fair donated almost £1800  direct from the door money to the Hospice!

Customers were encouraged to come dressed in their vintage finest, and for a small donation to the hospice, enter the best dressed competition, run by local photographer Dexter Morgan Photography. The winner of which was little Willow (pic below). Aww isn't she adorable?

The Secret Vintage Fair donated some of the door money back to the hospice, and in addition, a further £100 was raised from the best dressed competition, and over £2000 was raised by the hospice from the catering, stalls and raffle that the Hospice organised.

Lucy Craymer, founder of the Secret Vintage Fairs exclaimed: “We are absolutely thrilled to have raised so much for the Hospice, who offer incredible care in our region, and we are so lucky to have them here in beautiful Thorpe Hall! There is always someone I speak to who has a connection with the Hospice, and they have been wonderful to work with. Thank you to everyone who came, shopped, traded, bought raffle tickets, and explored Thorpe Hall and made the event such a joy to organise! We look forward to organising many more in the region-and perhaps more at this venue too- sign up to the mailing list on the website to find out more.”

The SVF team recently handed over the cheque for nearly £1800 to the hospice, who treated them to a scrumptious afternoon tea in the on-site cafe at Sue Ryder hospice- we thoroughly recommend a visit!! We also discovered that the money raised is enough to fund 17 days of nurses at the hospice, or 36 family support sessions! The hospice has a challenge of raising £1.3 million a year just to keep operating, so we were so delighted to have raised such a good amount for them from the weekend of Halloween Vintage loveliness!

We also had some fantastic write ups from independent bloggers- read them here:

LIZABOO 

LOVED BY LAURA 

To date the Secret Fairs have now helped raise over £7,000 for a variety of charities across East Anglia.

MORE EVENTS...this weekend...!

Here’s a selection of photos from the event on our Facebook Page, and if you missed it- why not check out the Thorpe Hall Christmas Fayre, on this weekend, Sat 28th and Sunday 29th November?

However, if you are more Essex/Suffolk based, don’t miss the awesomely spectacular Colchester Christmas Secret Vintage Fair edition , organised by Lesley’s Girls Vintage- taking place tomorrow, for one day only, Sat 28th November at Firstsite Gallery!  

#WordlessWednesday

#WordlessWednesday

Sophie T's Vintage Tea Shop, Peterborough

Well, who doesn't like to treat themselves to a delicious, traditional, afternoon tea? We thought we'd do a quick shout out to local Vintage Tea Rooms, SOPHIE T's in Yaxley, near Peterborough, which is not too far from the site of our next Peterborough fair on 31st October and 1st November!

We visited Sophie T's recently, with some friends to celebrate a couple of birthdays, and what a glorious place it was to celebrate! We were treated to sumptuous and generous portions of sandwiches, with a variety of fillings, scones, clotted cream and jam and a selection of cakes too; coffee and walnut, victoria sponge, chocolate and carrot cake...and even better, our Lullabelle was able to enjoy every mouthful as they offer Gluten Free options too!

Owner Lynne clearly has a passion for the vintage lifestyle, and the old fashioned tea rooms in Yaxley, are decked out in such a manner that makes you feel like you've stepped back in time 60 years as soon as you walk through the door. And we were delighted to be entertained by a wonderful pianist tinkling some classic old tunes over the ivory keys.

Do make sure to visit this place at some point if you've never been, whether it be for a special occasion, or just a trip out one weekend, but in line with the true vintage nature of the place, be sure to take cash as cards aren't in use!

A pure delight, and definitely one not to miss.

Halloween Hi-jinks as Secret Vintage Fair Comes to Peterborough

SECRET VINTAGE AUTUMN SPECTACULAR TO HELP SUE RYDER APPEAL

The Secret Vintage Fair  are planning something rather special this coming autumn in Cambridgeshire, a two-day vintage  shopping and live music spectacular, in a secret location, to help raise funds for the Sue Ryder Hospice.

The weekend of October 31st and November 1st, will see a huge vintage fair take over a prime Peterborough landmark, our lips are tightly sealed as to the location, and will be ‘keeping mum’ until the end of the summer. The two-day event will also incorporate workshops, live music, and entertainers, with a spooky Halloween twist!

The Vintage Fair will showcase a variety of stalls, selling vintage homewares, clothing, kitchenalia, haberdashery, steampunk, jewellery and accessories, as well as quality handmade craft items, and so much more!  Customers will also be able to indulge from a delicious selection of refreshments available on site, and, those who really want to spoil themselves, can pre-book for an exclusive afternoon tea experience.

Customers are encouraged to come dressed in their vintage finest, as the Secret Vintage Fair team will be awarding a prize to the best dressed vintage guy and gal they spot across the weekend, in the Vintage Photoboth provided by vintage photographer extraordinaire Dexter Morgan.

Across both the Saturday and the Sunday, there will be an array of different live music  and entertainment and so customers would be advised not to just come on one day but to turn up to both! There will be live appearancea from Jade May Jean Peters, a star from BBC’s The Voice, and top electro swing DJ Tallulah Goodtimes will be on hand to act as our Mistress of Ceremonies! There also may be a jester or two lurking about!

Concept creator of the Secret Vintage Fairs, Lucy says, “We are so glad to be supporting the wonderful Sue Ryder Hospice for this event. They provides exceptional care across the region and we wanted to show our support, I can’t wait to see how much money we can raise for them!”

Whilst Janine and co run the Essex and Suffolk events, Cambridgeshire born Lucy teamed up with her vintage loving colleague Charlie Ives last year to expand the fairs, and the pair have already hosted three vintage events together, in Stamford, Oundle and St Ives.

Charlie says, “The best way to stay informed of updates for this event and many others is to sign up to our mailing list, via our website to be the first to find out any news and information on our future fairs and secret locations. To date the Secret Fairs have already raised over £3500 for a variety of charities and we hope you will come along to support the hospice on 31st October AND 1st November!!”

Entrance to the vintage fair event is £3 for one day, or £5 for both days, and tickets can be bought on the door, with 50% of all door proceeds going to the charity, alongside 100% of proceeds from the raffle and silent auction. The entry fee includes a free cup of tea for every person, and children under 16 get free entry!

Traders are invited to apply by emailing stallholders@secretvintagefair.com  or info@secretvintagefair.com.

Further details of how to book in for an exclusive afternoon tea treat, and the workshops will be released nearer the time, to those on our secret mailing list so make sure you’ve signed up now on either of our facebook pages:

MAIN Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/TheSecretVintageFair
LOCAL Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/SecretVintageCambridgeshire
Twitter: @Secret_Vintage
Instagram: @TheSecretVintageFair

Line Up

If you've been to the fair before you'll know we are more than just a shopping event.  We bring together a selection of cracking musicians and entertainers for the day..... we know you like to plan your day so here is the line up