Hold on to your (vintage) hats! Ireland’s longest running vintage fair, FROCK AROUND THE CLOCK, will be returning to Cookstown’s historic Lissan House on Sunday 19th May with another extravaganza of vintage treasures for sale and a big helping of timeless glamour, nostalgia and fun for all the family.
The Met Office may have forecasted a heatwave for the month of May, but the hottest place to be will be Lissan House when the fabulous FROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Vintage Fair visits for the second time with an amazing line-up of over 40 Irish vintage dealers and creative designers offering an unrivalled collection of vintage and handmade fashion, jewellery, furniture, homewares, collectables, and crafts & gifts, most of which can’t be found on the high street.
Visitors will be able to take a break from vintage shopping and browsing to relax and revive in the Lissan Tea Room, enjoying all the scrumptious delights of afternoon tea, while acoustic sets will be performed in the grand hall by singer and songwriter Della Storm.
Frock Around The Clock has an impressive 40 vintage events under its belt since launched in 2008 and is Ireland’s longest running vintage fair, featuring exhibitors from Dublin to Derry and attracting visitors from all over the country and further afield. The inspiring exhibitor list at the Lissan House event will include Norma Jean Vintage – specialising in pretty vintage china and glassware, Stitched In Stone – showcasing beautiful handcrafted gifts, Elephant Juice – selling unique jewellery crafted from antique silver cutlery, Sew What Interiors – specialists in restyled furniture and vintage homewares, Strictly Vintage – connoisseurs of high end vintage costume jewellery, and Brigitte’s Boudoir – offering timeless and elegant vintage dresses sourced mainly from France. So that’s the ladies sorted! But the men won’t be neglected either as they will love to rummage through a wide range of collectables including stylish oddities from Beyond Redemption and a cornucopia of salvage, vintage, retro, antiques and everything inbetween from The Old Hen House. Children will love the vintage teddy bears, nursery games and antique books from Tiny Tower Vintage Interiors and for the babies there will be handmade retro clothing for little tots from Bella Boo. Sweet lovers can indulge in scrumptious baking from Sparkles Cakes of Art and handmade luxury pralines and macaroons from Altemeyer Chocolates. With the vintage fair overflowing with the coolest stuff on the planet for your wardrobe and home there will be something to suit all tastes, ages and budgets.
Lissan House is an enchanting country residence set within a 250 acre demesne of ancient woodland and forestry. The estate was created in the 17th century and remained the home of the Staples family for nearly 400 years, reputedly the longest habitation by any single family of a country house in West Ulster. Lissan came to prominence in 2003 when its popularity helped it reach the national final of the BBC2 television series, Restoration. The Vintage Fair will take visitors on a tour of the house from the grand hall, through the dining room, library, ballroom, bedrooms, WWII flats, and the Victorian kitchen and laundry room, revealing modern interactive exhibits and original family furnishings carrying you on a unique journey through the history of the estate and the family characters that have shaped it.
Visitors will also be able to explore the delightful setting of Lissan Demesne which features an adventure playground for children, a wooded picnic seating area, and many secluded walks to explore. Lissan House will be running a Family Treasure Hunt on the day of the Vintage Fair which will take place in the grounds, offering fun for adults and children alike.
Unfortunately this will be the last Frock Around The Clock Vintage Fair for a while – after 5 years and 41 amazing events, organiser and Creative Director Becky Moore will be taking a year off from event planning – all the more reason why you shouldn’t miss this fabulous day out to stock up on vintage fabulousness while you can!
The FROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Vintage Fair will take place on Sunday 19th May from 12 – 5pm at Lissan House, Drumgrass Road, Cookstown BT80 9SW. Admission will cost £5 for adults and accompanied children (under 15s) go free.
More information on the event and the full exhibitor list can be found online at www.decadencevintagefairs.com and www.facebook.com/decadencevintageevents.