about the market
The Green Ant Christmas Craft Fair – formally the Marrara Christmas Craft Fair, a Darwin institution for nearly 30 years – is now calling the Darwin Showgrounds home! Featuring both familiar and new stall-holders, the fair will be in air conditioning for a comfortable shopping experience. Find a host of local creations – jewellery, clothing, toys, art, body products, bags, sculptures, photography & more – gifts that will be sure to delight, while supporting local artists and craftspeople. Face-painting, food and an exciting new feature on young local creatives add to a great day out.
WHEN: 25 - 26 November 2023
WHERE: Darwin Show Grounds
OPENS: 9am to 4pm both days
COST: $4 Adults Children are FREE
MEET THE TEAM
We are Chiggy, Boo and Orlando and collectively we are The Flying Gecko Project. We already know some of you and look forward to getting to know those we don't.
We took on the Christmas Craft Fair in 2018 when the original founder Di wanted to take a well deserved break after 28 years of running the fair. In 2018 we moved to our new home at the Royal Darwin Showgrounds.
We rebranded from the Marrara Christmas Craft Fair to the Green Ant Christmas Craft Fair in 2019. We are constantly amazed at the creative energy and endeavors of the Northern Territory and love supporting creatives through the fair.
Orlando brings a strong history of event and risk management to The Flying Gecko Project. Recent government work has seen him oversee such high-profile events as the Obama visit to Darwin in 2011 for the Northern Territory Police.
He is also a tech-whizz and will ensure systems run smoothly as the Marrara Christmas Craft Fair transitions online.
An enthusiastic supporter of local creatives, Orlando has assisted Boo at Darwin markets and has gained a clear knowledge of the local market scene and stall holder needs. He is increasingly involved in the day-to-day running of bippidii boppidii, including managing finances.
Prior to moving to Darwin from South Australia in 2009, Orlando worked on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands over a number of years, developing a strong connection to the place and its people. Since moving to Darwin River five years ago he has cultivated his love of frogs and his loathing of gamba grass.
Chiggy is a local artist who uses her intuition, bright colours and some good old positive thinking to create her semi abstract artworks, influenced by our amazing, harsh yet beautiful landscapes plus all the shapes and colours nature has on offer.
She has exhibited both as a solo artist and in group exhibitions here in Darwin and interstate and is keen to do more.
Chiggy has developed and produced a range of products from her artworks and sells at local markets in Darwin, and in The Local, a vibrant shop full of local artist works nestled in the heart of Parap Shopping Village.
She has lived in the Territory since 1997 with her husband and two children. So does that make her a Territorian? Formally she was born and raised in the Riverland, South Australia where she loves to get back to spend time with family and get in, on and next to the Murray River... it's good for the soul!
Boo is the ear-wearing creative behind bippidii boppidii. Inspired by local flora and fauna (birds, in particular), Boo designs fabrics and makes them into bags and accessories, cushions and home furnishings in her Darwin River home studio. Boo started doing markets in Sydney in 1990 and since then has dipped in and out of the market scene across three states and territories. She has been doing local markets for several years and was a long term permanent stall holder at Parap Village Market. Now selling in The Local. In 2017, she was part of the Darwin Art Trail and she was an artist in residence at the Territory Wildlife Park in 2015 and 2016. Boo has participated in both solo and group exhibitions.
In addition to her work as an independent artist and designer, Boo has worked in the Darwin art sector in management, communications, graphic design and event management. Originally from Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, she worked with Anangu artists at Ernabella Arts for two years before heading to the steamy north in 2009 with her partner, Orlando, and two sons.
