Tiverton Pannier Market is planning an exciting series of events, activities and enhancements to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, including a festival featuring more than 50 stalls, a pop-up pub and four to five hours of live music.

Jubilee Fest will take place on Saturday 4 June, when the monthly Tiverton Farmers Market will have extended opening hours of 9am to 4pm.

The event will showcase around 25 local food and drink producers and businesses, a plethora of artists, crafters and makers and several other traders.

The live music will get under way at 10am with songs down the years by female trio In Harmony, before a Jubilee concert by Tiverton Concert Band.

In the afternoon, Tiverton Signpost Club will put on two dance performances and DJ Armitstead will share his unusual guitar skills before local folk favourites Fox Willow complete the day’s entertainment.

Best-selling author Hazel Prior, who plays the harp in Fox Willow, will do a book signing.

The event will also see the debut of a pop-up pub called The Market Tavern, where visitors can sample a variety of local drinks under a giant gazebo adorned with seating, tables and decor.

The event will round off a bank holiday double-header, following The Big Jubilee Bake-off and Make-off on Friday 3 June.

People of all ages and abilities are invited to bake a cake or make something linked to the Jubilee, The Queen or the Royal Family – whatever it may be – using paper, textiles, paint, ceramics, wood, metal or any other suitable material.

Entries should be brought to the market office by 10am on Friday 3 June, with a name, age and phone number attached.

A panel will judge the entries on the day and award prizes in several categories.

All entries will be displayed at the market from the day they are brought in until after the Jubilee weekend.

The Friday event will also feature The Lost Corgi Dogs from 9am to 2pm, with children and families tasked with finding The Queen’s missing corgis among the market stalls, as well as a fancy dress competition.

Jim Bray, market manager, said:

“The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee offers a perfect opportunity to bring people together, celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service and showcase quality local food, drink, producers, makers, traders, musicians and much more that is great about Tiverton and this area.

“While much of the attention will be focused on the bank holiday double-header, when there will be lots to see and do for people of all ages, we’ll continue to celebrate the Jubilee with further events on the three remaining Saturdays in June.

“These include a garden market on Saturday 11 June, a planned picnic-style event on Saturday 18 June and Armed Forces Day on Saturday 25 June.

“We will also be showcasing a number of local schools, charities and community groups on general market days throughout June.”

The Jubilee festivities have started already, with around 140 metres of red, white and blue bunting adorning the market building, criss-crossing the main aisle and the central lobby.

The material was donated by Heathcoat Fabrics Retail Shop and sewn onto 49 strings by Gaby Tyson from Bunting, Bags and Bits.

Jim said:

“We’ve also started to display a range of red, white and blue plants, in addition to the 20 ornamental trees and other flowers we secured with government funding, which have been warmly received by the public and traders.

“These will be a colourful addition to the market over the coming weeks, with more set to follow soon.

“Some of the plants are displayed in or on a range of vintage artefacts we’ve unearthed at local reclamation yards, including the frame of a 19th century invalid carriage, two old prams, two planters with wheels and three crowns.”

The Jubilee events tie in with The Big Summer Refresh, a promotion designed to breathe new life into the market and increase visitor numbers.

The promotion centres on a special offer for traders, who can book a stall or a package of dates for much-reduced rates in May, June and July.

For more details, call Jim on 07815 791191 or e-mail him at jbray@middevon.gov.uk.