The cast of panto Robin Hood, which will be staged at Margate’s Theatre Royal, will be out meeting people at the Thanet Virtual High Street and Thanet Stalls Christmas fair this weekend.
The fair will take place in the Old Town Margate on Saturday and Sunday (December 11 and 12) from 11am-5pm.
Thanet Virtual High Street was created by resident Karen Brinkman while she was on furlough from her charity sector role during lockdown last year. The aim was to serve as a platform for small local businesses to maintain their profile and promote their products and services online via the Facebook group and business directory. This was vital last Christmas for many people who just couldn’t get out to any shops.
Since coming out of lockdown TVHS wanted to maintain this and continues to encourage virtual selling but also wants physical businesses to promote themselves to tempt people back to Thanet high streets and venues.
Karen said: “TVHS decided to stage this event to bring people together after such a tough period of time and give small local businesses the opportunity to sell to the people that supported them online during the lockdown.
“We will be having gifts, crafts, jewellery, confectionery, pet accessories and clothing stalls to name a few. We are also providing a stage area for entertainment for lots of local groups over the weekend. So many dance schools and choirs missed out on opportunities over the last 18 months so hopefully this will allow them to perform again to all their friends and families.
“Lockdown was extremely isolating for so many people so we hope this Christmas event will bring our communities together again.”
Entertainment over the weekend comes from groups including Stage Door Arts, Bromstone Choir, JoJos School of Dance, Tara James, Silver Slippers and, of course, the panto cast.