THE spring edition of the North Wales Macabre Market brought a riot of gothic vibes and creativity to Rhyl Town Hall on Saturday, drawing people of all ages through its doors.
The event, which ran from 11am to 4pm, marked the latest outing for the market created by friends Katie Daly and Lynne Stevens, and continued its mission to give local makers a platform and visitors the chance to pick up truly unique items and gifts.
The market catered to the gothic, the macabre and “all things weird and wonderful”, filling the historic town hall with an atmosphere that was welcoming, inclusive and distinctly alternative.
Katie and Lynne, who also founded the North Wales Alternatives Facebook group to serve the region’s alternative scene, had built Saturday’s event on strong foundations.
Rhyl Town Hall was turned into a bustling indoor bazaar of dark art, handcrafted curiosities and niche services.
Stalls offered jewellery and accessories, gothic décor, candles, spell jars, taxidermy and oddities, and an array of tempting baked goods.
There were also filmmakers and comic creators in the form of Mycho Entertainment and Hellbound Media enthralling market-goers with their latest projects.
Chad Jones and Tomos Rowlands, of Rhyller Thriller, were also there promoting the horror film festival taking place later in the year.
Visitors browsed slowly, chatted with stallholders and compared finds, while families, couples and groups of friends mingled in the aisles, underlining how broad the appeal of the market has become.
Speaking at the market, Lynne said: "So today we’ve got the North Wales Alternative Market. We have gothic décor, prints, horror artists – we have all sorts on today and it is phenomenal so far.
"This is the fourth one I think we’ve done now, and it’s just getting bigger and better every year."
Asked how important it was to hold the event in Rhyl, Lynne added: "Amazingly important. We are a very small community of alternative people and to have everyone gathered together, it’s just amazing."
Throughout the day, the sense of community was as important as the stalls themselves.
Traders reported strong interest and warm conversations, and shoppers left with bags full of carefully chosen pieces that reflected their personalities and passions.
By the time the doors closed, the Spring edition of the North Wales Macabre Market had reinforced its reputation as a key date in the North Wales alternative calendar, and anticipation was already building for its return later in the year.
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