Having attended a country fair at Lampeter last weekend (see last post) this weekend I went to the similar Figgat Fair in Grantown-on-Spey, which is run by the excellent Grantown Museum and Heritage Trust. Again there were craft, food and second-hand goods stalls spread out over a grassy area and again the weather was perfect with sunshine, blue sky and fluffy white skies. At both events big brands and logos were thankfully absent. These were markets in the traditional sense where local trades people, artisans and craft workers could display their wares. Also in Grantown at the same time as the Figgat Fair was the Cairngorm Farmers Market, which is held in various parts of Strathspey some summer weekends. Oddly on this occasion there were more crafts than food stalls at the Farmers Market. Wandering round the stalls in the sunshine has a completely different feel to wandering round a shopping centre with a relaxed and slow ambience totally absent in the latter places. Of course it would be different in heavy rain!
The Figgat Fair is a traditional event. “Figgat” appears to come from the Norse for “cow road”, “gate” being the Norse for “road”, suggesting it too began as some form of farmers market.
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