The National Botanic Gardens will be hosting an Eco Christmas market this year.
On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December, people will be able to shop for sustainable gifts from local businesses, grab something to eat and listen to a choir singing Christmas carols.
The Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin have been running these events for over ten years. This year they’ll have around 70 stalls - both indoors and outdoors - against the backdrop of their historic glasshouses.
Read more: 'The Night Sky' is this year's theme for Wonderlights at Malahide Castle
Most of the stall holders are small craftspeople, with a sustainable element to their work. “You can come to the market and then look around and see the importance of protecting the environment,” says Ciara Travers, who is organising the event this year.
The market will offer a good range of items - crafts like candles, natural wreaths without plastic elements, eco homewares, sewn items, knitting, leather.
Other sustainable gift options would be Christmas decorations from recycled materials, sustainable toys and clothes, and ornaments from upcycled wood.
There will also be jewellery, bags made from upcycling drink cartons, soaps and honey, as well as a willow worker who will be making baskets out of home-grown willows.
For those who want to take their time enjoying the vibe of the market and the Christmas carols, there will also be food stalls offering seasonal treats.
“We’ve a huge amount of entries, people enquiring about the stalls, and obviously we couldn’t take them all but it is amazing there are so many crafters who are small businesses,” says Ms Travers.
“Whether this is their only market or they are doing two a year or they might have a small Etsy shop but they’re not big businesses.”
Most of the stall holders will be local Dublin-based crafters, but there will be people coming from further parts of Ireland too.
A charity from Cork called Brighter Communities will also be selling crafts like Christmas glass decorations, made by groups in Africa.
The National Botanic Gardens is an Office of Public Works site. Attending the market will be free for people, so no need to book or buy tickets.
Read next:
Shop and Rock returns to Dundrum Town Centre with major discounts for Christmas shoppers
Lush to open largest Irish store in Dundrum Town Centre this winter
'Game changer' Ikea pillows that gave man the 'best night’s sleep in years'
We visited the Arnotts Christmas shop and it filled us with festive excitement
First look at Lidl's fa-la-labulous toys hitting middle aisle
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox
