It's not new, but there is something a little different happening at the Arts Village.
From tomorrow, the Sulphur City ArtsNCrafts Market will be running in place of the previous Arts Village market. Held from 10am to 2pm it will happen on the first Saturday of each month.
Market co-ordinator Megan Guthrie, who was a stallholder at the Arts Village market, says she and fellow crafters did not want the current Arts Village market to be reduced from monthly to four times a year, a change the Arts Village was considering.
"I put my neck out and started taking over and organising things with Mary-Beth and the Arts Village towards the end of last year."
She says she chose a different name for the market as she wanted a slight change of direction and to keep it local to Rotorua. Megan says she has been part of the Arts Village market for five years under her Mother Meg's Creations stall where she sells a range of creations from baby bibs to purses and keyrings.
The range at the Sulphur City ArtsNCrafts Market is huge, from plants and knitting to pottery, with 30 stallholders from Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty, Megan says.
"It's New Zealand-made crafts, it's handmade and it's all locally made. It's supporting locals, and if I'm brutally honest it's not $2 shop stuff. It's quality stuff. All the stallholders are really happy that the market is still going." It's all looking ready for Saturday, Megan says.
"It has been a busy time trying to get everything together."
She says tourists find the market by accident, which is something she hopes to change.
"We've struggled in the past. We want to get the word out there because when people think about markets, they think of the market at the Lakefront."
She will be trying new things at the market over the coming months.
"This weekend I have someone coming who will be selling fresh fruit ice-cream. Hopefully she'll become a regular. We're working on building that side up."
The market is cash only and weather dependent. If it's too wet a notice will be posted on the Sulphur City Arts N Crafts Facebook page.
Megan says it has been brilliant having the Arts Village support in getting the market running. Manager of the Arts Village Mary-Beth Acres says the previous Arts Village market had been running for several years.
"We were thinking of changing our market to four times a year as it was using up a lot of our time. As a non-profit organisation, our time is spread over a few different projects."
Mary-Beth says it was wonderful to have Megan put up her hand.
"It's great to see the market has been taken over by someone who is passionate about it. We are grateful to the stallholders for their support and happy to support Megan in bringing it all together."
The project needs to be taken over by someone who has the time, says Mary-Beth.
"As a stallholder herself, Megan will also have some ideas for the market. I imagine there will be a few new stallholders come on."
Mary-Beth says there will be one volunteer from the Arts Village on the front desk and one running kids activities from 11am to 1pm.
"It's a great local showcase and a chance to support New Zealandmade goods. Bring a picnic down or grab something from the Arts Village cafe. It's a great opportunity to have a family day out."
Georgina Harris is the Rotorua Weekender editor.