The Baytree's Local Artisan Market is back on Saturday 17 October, 10am to 4pm, free to visit. Then the Festival of Frights fills the town centre on 30 October.

The Local Artisan Market at The Baytree Shopping Centre is back next Saturday, 17 October, from 10am to 4pm. Entry is free. Independent traders and small local businesses will be selling food, sweet treats, handmade gifts and other one-off things.

It runs on the third Saturday of every month. The centre’s event page says to expect candles, homeware, sweet treats and gifts, “all created by talented people from our community”. The centre adds that specific stallholders may change.

What the centre says

Maria Kyriacou-Edwards of The Baytree Shopping Centre said:

“We’re really looking forward to welcoming our Local Artisan Market back to The Baytree this October. There’s always such a lovely atmosphere on market days and it’s a brilliant opportunity to discover something different while supporting fantastic independent traders. With Halloween just around the corner too, there’s lots happening in Brentwood throughout October, so it’s a great time to come into town, explore The Baytree and make a day of it.”

According to the centre, the market is now a regular fixture in its events calendar through the year. It gives local traders somewhere to sell, and it gives shoppers another reason to stay in the middle of town.

The entrance to The Baytree Centre on Brentwood High Street, next to the ruins of the Chapel of St Thomas a Becket
The Baytree Centre entrance beside the ruins of the Chapel of St Thomas a Becket. Photo: Baytree and Becket's Chapel by Glyn Baker (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia

Want a stall, or a slot to perform?

The centre is looking for stallholders for future markets. Independent and small businesses can email info@comm-space.com. It also offers free slots to local performers and groups who want to play on market days, through the same address.

Two more markets are listed before Christmas, on Saturday 21 November and Saturday 19 December, and an Essex Art Market is set for 5 December (The Baytree events page).

Then the Festival of Frights, 30 October

Two weeks after the market, Brentwood Connected’s Festival of Frights takes over the High Street and the streets around it on Friday 30 October, 2pm to 5pm. Families follow a spooky trail around the town centre, with creepy characters, treats and Halloween activities along the way. It ends with a Grand Finale fire performance in Crown Street.

The Baytree’s Piazza is one of the stops on the trail, with a Dead Cheerleader Disco and music. The centre also says one of its tenants will be joining in, but it is not saying which yet.

The free Halloween trails at the town’s country parks and other dates for the half-term week are in our Halloween in Brentwood roundup, and everything else this month is in What’s On in Brentwood.

What it means for you

  • When: Saturday 17 October, 10am to 4pm. Free to visit.
  • Where: The Baytree Shopping Centre, Brentwood, CM14 4BX. The centre is open Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 5.30pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm.
  • Parking: car parks, charges and the free Sundays are in our parking in Brentwood page.
  • Next: the Festival of Frights, Friday 30 October, 2pm to 5pm, finishing with the fire show in Crown Street.

More at baytreeshoppingcentre.com.