The crowds came out to support the latest Retford Big Market Day

In contrast with the assassination of Julius Caesar, in Shakespeare’s play, on the ‘Ides of March’ (15th March), our Roman soldier had a much better time ‘high fiving’ visitors of all ages and posing for photographs around town. It was a full traditional market, with an excellent Farmer’s Market, on the square, and a Craft Market in the Town Hall Buttermarket, including the ever-popular Girlguiding café.

Ten brilliant Retford retailers are taking part in the Retford Easter Egg Hunt 2025, sponsored by Pennington’s Electrical, they are: Pennington’s Electrical, Wonderland Bookshop, The Pottery, Ten Green Bottles, Retford Arts Hub, Nicole Olivia Cake Design, Vintage Bakery, Specsavers, Edi’z Kitchen, and Edinburgh Woollen Mill. Entry forms are available at all participating businesses and the prize draw box, for completed entries, is at Edinburgh Woollen Mill. There are great prizes to be won: a vegan extra-thick chocolate egg and a ‘Big City’ bunny both from Hotel Chocolat. There is also a ‘Jenny the Sheep’ white chocolate egg from Betty’s of Harrogate and a Lindt chocolate egg with bunny. The first thirty completed entries each get a Cadbury’s Crème Egg, and the prize draw will take place at 1.00pm on 19th April at Edinburgh Woollen Mill.

New for this year, there is the Retford Easter Window Competition, sponsored by Specsavers, where ten talented window-dressers will compete for a great trophy and the prize of an afternoon tea at Ten Green Bottles. The windows will start to be designed and built from now onwards, but many will start in earnest after Mothers’ Day (30th March). Judging will take place between 12th and 19th April and the winner will be announced at 1.00pm on 19th April at Edinburgh Woollen Mill. The businesses taking part are: Specsavers, Anne Wilkinson, Stanley Hunt Jewellers, The Pottery, The Grove (Methodist Church), Branching Out Creative Floristry, Wonderland Bookshop, Retford Arts Hub, The Flower Boutique and Pennington’s Electrical. There are some brilliantly gifted window designers in Retford and a tour around the shops would be well worth it.

Retford Big Market Days take place on the third Saturday of every month with the Easter Bunny and the Hathersage Brass Band making an appearance on Saturday 19th April 2025. Retford Christmas Market & Lights Switch-On 2025 is planned for Sunday 23rd November 2025 – save the dates!