German and UK Guggen bands set to illuminate Barnsley's Christkindlmarkt

CHRISTKINDLMARKT comes to Barnsley this Friday (27 November) until Sunday and this year the specialist craft fair and food market coincides with the town's first ever Guggenmusik festival. This features four international Guggenmusik groups who will entertain town centre visitors with a colourful mix of music, stunning costumes and showmanship.

Christkindlmarkt will delight shoppers with an eye for something special for that Christmas gift. There will be more than 40 stalls selling high quality gifts, specialist food vendors from around the region, Barnsley’s twin town of Schwabisch Gmund and local traders themselves will sell high quality gifts and specialist food. Opening hours are Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm.

Among the exciting items for sale in Queen Street, May Day Green and Cheapside will be jewellery crafted from cutlery, home-made Christmas puddings, Whitby jet jewellery, jams, chutneys and cheeses, Matryoshka dolls from Ukraine, and toy castles and churches. 

The Frumptarn Guggen Festmas will feature two bands from Germany, plus two from the UK. Together, these comprise of over a 100 players dressed in spectacular costumes. The bands playing are Rondo Bellinziano from Bad Bellingen in the Black Forest and feature 28 players in red and black costumes with large bird heads! With their fourth visit to Barnsley, top international big band Gmendr Gassafetza from Schwabisch Gmund wear costumes themed around a cocktail bar, Out of Africa and vampires!

The two UK Guggen bands complete the line-up: Gugge 2000 from Bournemouth whose 35 players in yellow and black bee costumes are influenced by the Swiss style of Guggenmusik, together with Frumptarn Guggenband from Barnsley. This is Guggenmusik with a modern twist, performed by 27 musicians in red and black beefeater costumes. Guggenmusik performances will take place over the weekend in Peel Square, Cheapside, May Day Green and The Arcade. See www.barnsleylive.co.uk for further details on this and other forthcoming events.

ENDS