Fair Saturday 2019 - Cardiff Joins the Party

What's it about

We're nearly there once more; it's dark when we wake, dark come 5 o'clock and from that first roll out of bed to crawling back in by evening, it's oh so cold. It can mean only one thing, a time-honoured tradition pulls ever closer, a time for giving, a time for receiving. Yes, it is nearly Black Friday. 

Black Friday, so named as it marked the time of the year when retailers were "back in the black' or back making a profit, encourages us to spend & spend, to shop & shop until we drop. But never to stop. It's a culture of instant gratification, a throwaway culture, of buying without needing or, as is so often the case, even wanting.

Waste and its impacts, both environmental and social, have been cast into the harsh, unforgiving light of scrutiny of late. With the climate crisis, with inequality at record highs, the far-reaching effects of our day to day lives have perhaps never before been so steadfastly fixed at the forefront of our collective thinking. In short, people are looking for an alternative.

Enter, Fair Saturday. First established in Bilbao, a city with a storied history of going against the curve, Fair Saturday takes place on the Saturday following Black Friday, envisaged as a counterpoint, a palette cleanser to the consuming chaos of the day before. What started out small has ballooned incredibly quickly so now Bristol and, for the first time, Cardiff join over 130 other cities worldwide taking part in a celebration of creativity & inclusivity.

If this isn't your first time here, you may recall us taking part in Fair Saturday last year, our and Bristol's maiden year, and doing a little shouting about it as well! This time around, as ever, it's our aim to build on what we did before, to go bigger & better. Now with two cities in which to take part we've been counting down the days for the opportunity to showcase, to support & to celebrate.

What's On

First off, we'll be offering our own discount on Black Friday (29.11.2019) but with a slight twist. There will be 10% off across all outlets, however we'll be donating 10% of our profits to FRANK Water, a local charity with whom we have strong links, for more information on their vital work see our Sustainability Hub. 

Then, come Fair Saturday proper, we'll be putting on a Vegan Bath Salts Crafting Workshop, taking place at our very own Park Street store, between 3-4pm. Tickets will be £10, coffee & cake included naturally, with all the money raised going to Bristol Animal Rescue, a fitting recipient from cruelty-free craftsmanship.

To cap off the day we'll be hosting live music from local musicians, entry will be free (all we ask is a small donation) and there will be food & drink to buy. As well as giving these musicians a platform, cafe sales will go to the Rising Arts Agency, a Bristol-based not-for-profit aimed at supporting 16-25 year olds with creative ambitions.

Through melding craftsmanship, performance &, imperatively, positive action we are trying to embody the spirit of Fair Saturday. Instead of simply bemoaning the negatives of Black Friday we hope to be part of a movement which exemplifies the benefits of the alternative; of acting together rather than just for yourself, of thinking about what you buy beyond what's on sale or is lit up in pretty lights, and ultimately of pursuing fairness in everything you do.