This week Niche turns 10, with a one-off, two-day event at the Albert Hall where the organisers expect 7000 shoppers to visit 64 stalls and perhaps even enjoy some bling and beard fun.

As part of the celebrations, F&W Stewart Jewellery has donated a diamond that will be raffled via a champagne bar – $10 a glass – under a giant white Christmas tree on Friday night.

Launceston’s Best Beard competition is also planned for the Friday evening. In a cross-promotion with Launceston Night Market, the beard winner will get $125 to spend on food and wine.

Niche was the idea of Launceston business woman and former StGiles Fundraising Manager Selena Palmer. 

Since 2010 Niche has been steered by StGiles general manager of profile and engagement Danielle Blewett, with a succession of managers including Liz Strange, Lucy Millwood, Claire Murfet and for the past two years former general manager of Woolmers Estate, Victoria Bayes.

“Selena was ahead of her time and her idea has prospered and grown. Makers consistently say they love the camaraderie, quality and kindness of Niche,’’ Ms Blewett said.

Niche has had its challenges but has grown to three markets a year, including a Starry Night Market in July and an annual NW Niche, in Burnie. In 2011, Launceston’s worst flood in 20 years, threatened the Tramsheds, where Niche was in full swing with hundreds of shoppers and 45 stalls.

“The emergency services were evacuating all around us. Testing the flood siren really made our stallholders toey, but the doors stayed open,” Ms Blewett said.

Niche has also tried to break into the Hobart design and made market.

“We set up three years running in the Hobart Town Hall. We were lucky to get 200 people through the doors – we took 40 makers to Hobart and worked through freezing seven degree days – that’s when we decided to pull the plug on Hobart,’’ Ms Blewett said.

She said a sweet point in the Niche story was getting the event into the Albert Hall in 2013.

“We were getting far too many visitors for comfort in the Tramsheds and needed a larger venue. We played the long game and finally got into the Albert Hall. Our first Christmas market with 10 live trees and lights strung the full length of the hall was a dream come true – we’d created a European Christmas market in Launceston,” Ms Blewett said. 

Burnie has welcomed Niche to the Burnie Arts and Function Centre for the past three years.

“Each Burnie event gets about 2500 shoppers. The Centre has super cool 70’s toilets that should be heritage listed – they are immaculate all orange and brown tiles and mustard glass – an amazing sound system and we love the real community feel we get when we visit Burnie,” Ms Blewett said.

Makers interested in being part of Niche 2019 should visit stgiles.org.au/events.