1,000 turn out to sunny first weekend of Greenham's Base Festival of Arts and Crafts

The Base Greenham kicked off its inaugural Festival of Arts and Crafts at the weekend and it was a sunny success, with around 1,000 people visiting the visual arts centre and it continues this weekend.

Last weekend was a true celebration of arts, crafts, and artisanal food and drink from local makers and creators as a fantastic range of stalls surrounded the building outside; inside there were taster workshops for adults and children in the Lookout Studio.

Throughout the 10-day festival, local artists are also being celebrated as their work is displayed in the venue’s Gallery where many visitors on Saturday and Sunday took the opportunity to support those artists by purchasing a piece of original art.

The Base’s Runway Gallery also became a huge chalkboard doodle wall, which visitors still have the opportunity to make their own mark on in the final weekend of the festival (Saturday to Monday).

Hampshire-based textile artist Harriet Riddell, from In Stitch You, came on the Sunday and brought her wagon to West Berkshire and gave visitors the chance to join free-style stitching workshops on her six sewing machines.

Harriet will be back on Saturday for another day of sewing workshop fun – places are on a first come first serve basis.

Artist Richard Francis Bellin will also be leading Contemporary Painting Taster Workshops on Saturday, which can be pre-booked via The Base’s website.

Over the Easter weekend there will be some returning faces, but also a number of different stallholders at The Base from Saturday to Monday, including woodwork, jewellery, handmade children’s clothing, ceramics and artists.

Entry to The Base’s Festival of Arts and Craft festival is free, as well as free parking on Greenham Business Park.

Visit www.thebasegreenham.co.uk or follow The Base on Facebook and Instagram.