Category: Blog

Welcoming Markets back for 2021

Posted on by Fargo

Vintage In The Village is back.  Welcome a fabulous day of all things vintage this May, for one day only, we want to bring some true vintage treasures, as well as some real bargains! Independent retailers, creatives and artists have everything ready for you starting from vintage clothing & accessories to homeware, vintage cars  and cookies.

We’ve thought really carefully about the best way to run this market to keep everyone safe, for our traders, staff, and of course, you! Read on to find out what to expect and the top 10 things you can do to support fiercely independent in a safe way this weekend.

 

  1. Social distancing

We’re  limiting numbers inside the market hall, to no more than 60 at any one time, so you’ll have plenty of space to move about and socially distance properly. Please maintain a distance of 1.5m from anyone not in your household or bubble. Please remember you cannot socialise inside with anyone outside of your household or bubble.

  1. Queuing

Because we’ve got a limit on numbers inside the Market Hall, if we’re full when you arrive, you may be asked to queue for a few minutes until someone leaves. Please be patient, and queue 1.5m from people outside of your household/ bubble – we’ll have a designated spot for you to wait, and some lovely staff to direct you.

  1. Track and Trace

We will need to collect Track and trace information from every person entering the Market Hall. To make this process smoother and so you can enter faster, we recommend you download the NHS track and trace app before you get to FarGo, so you can scan our QR code at the gates or the Market Hall entrance, and then you just need to show your screen to the door staff instead of signing in manually! This is a legal requirement so you will need to register if you’d like to shop.

  1. Staff

We’ve got even more of our fab team than normal at this market, to make sure we can keep track of everything, and keep you guys safe. There will be someone on the door taking Track and Trace info, someone on the exit counting you out, and another person floating around to make sure we can answer questions, guide you round our one way system, and make sure everyone stays safe inside the venue.

  1. One way systems

So we can avoid overcrowding and problems with social distancing, we’ll have a one way system at this event. You will enter via the Market Hall entrance between Gourmet Food Kitchen and Choc N Roll, and exit through the shutter next to Pop Bang Colour. Inside, arrows on the floor will  guide you around the market. You can loop back round for another look still, but make sure you’re doing this where the arrows indicate!

  1. Face Masks

We will be asking everyone, including staff and traders, to always wear face masks inside the venue, unless exempt. This is necessary to enter the venue- please remember to put it on before you enter, so our staff don’t need to ask you!

  1. Wash your hands

We’ve got hand sanitizer stations at both the entrance and the exit of the market, for you to use. We also have sinks for handwashing too, so if hand sanitizer is getting to your skin a bit, we’ve got plan b ready!

  1. Shop Online

If you’re not entirely comfortable joining the market in person this weekend, you can still support our fiercely independent makers by shopping online at our online marketplace! Check out makers profiles, see product previews and follow the links to order online and enjoy the market from the saftey of your home.

  1. Please follow traders requests

All our traders have got measures in place to keep their stalls safe and clean for you, but this means you will need to ask before touching products and may be asked to use hand sanitizer first. Please listen to our lovely traders, they’ve got your safety in mind!

  1. Pay by card

Where possible, please pay by card, as this is much more hygienic than cash, and helps our traders keep you safe. Some traders may be operating card only over the weekend, so please bear this in mind and come with your card at the ready!

There will be plenty of signage about on the day, and people to help out, so you can shop safe in the knowledge that we’re doing everything we can to keep you safe. Our cleaners will be regualrly cleaning touch points to kee the venue hygenic. If you see something that you think we could be doing better, please let us know! We can’t wait to see you back in the village, exploring our indie makers, permanent shops, and maybe grabbing a spot of lunch (we’d definitely recommend it!) so we’ll see you on this weekend, Saturday 24th 11am-5pm and Sunday 25th 11am-4pm!

 

Community Growth Fund

Posted on by Fargo
What is “Community Growth Fund”?

The “Community Growth Fund”  provides a small grant and in-kind support to local community groups and organisations seeking to develop and deliver events, which increase participation in arts and culture.

FarGo Village has been granted funding by Arts Council England as
part of the “Cultural Recovery Fund” which means we are able to
support a small programme of community-based events.

Who can apply?

We welcome applications from local community groups /organisations, operating in the broad field of arts and culture as their core focus. The organisation will be responsible to implement an event at FarGo Village that will benefit their audience between January and March 2021. This could be an art exhibition, live music event, community conference etc.

To find more information about the fund, please click HERE

 

 

SUMMER SCREENS LAUNCHES NEW INDOOR CINEMA EXPERIENCE WINTER SCREENS

Posted on by Fargo

THE BEST CHRISTMAS FILMS, SEASONAL CULT CLASSICS AND FESTIVE FAMILY FAVOURITES THIS DECEMBER AT THE WINTER SCREENS CHRISTMAS CINEMA

 

Winter Screens is the new indoor cinema experience from the team at Summer Screens. During the colder, darker months, Winter Screens will be converting some spectacular spaces into amazing movie theatres, to offer guests the definitive popup cinema experience, and first up, it’s Christmas.

 

This December Winter Screens will have a season of classic festive movies, as the company converts two fantastic venues at Fargo Village in Coventry, and St Lawrence’s Church in Reading into the Winter Screens Christmas Cinema!

Guests can snuggle down on giant bean bags with blankets, tuck into mince pies and mulled wine,  and enjoy all of their favourite festive films on the giant retro screen in the Winter Screens cinema lounge, complete with Christmas trees and a virtual log fire.

 

The films will be shown in full 2k HD with state-of-the-art audio and include all the best Christmas movies, seasonal cult classics and festive family favourites such as Home Alone, Elf, The Polar Express, Gremlins, The Holiday, It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle On 34th Street, Love Actually and Die Hard.

 

Ticket Types & Prices

 

Tickets start at £9.50 children aged 4-17 and £15.00 for adults. Seating is a choice of bean bag wedges or director chairs. For those wanting the premium Winter Screens, there is the option of the giant bean bag chairs which are located in a prime position in the center of the cinema, which come complete with a complimentary drink, popcorn, and either chocolate or a mince pie. Premium tickets are £19.50 for children and £25.00 for adults.

 

Venue Address

 

The Box, Fargo Village, Coventry, CV1 5ED

 

Date Time Film Certificate

 
13/12/2019 4.30pm It’s a Wonderful Life U
13/12/2019 8.30pm Home Alone PG
14/12/2019 12.30pm The Muppets Christmas Carol U
14/12/2019 4.30pm The Polar Express U
14/12/2019 8.30pm Elf PG
15/12/2019 12.30pm Home Alone PG
15/12/2019 4.30pm Gremlins 12A
15/12/2019 8.30pm Love Actually 15

 

To book tickets and for more information www.winterscreens.co.uk

Find us on Facebook and Instagram: @winterscreens

Coventry Athletes in 24hr Gruelling Challenge to Raise Money for Veterans – The Longest Day

Posted on by Fargo

On Friday 12 July 2019, Members of Wildcard Strength and Conditioning, a CrossFit gym based at FarGo Creative Village in Coventry, will take part in The Longest Day. From 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday, Wildcard Athletes will complete a gruelling workout every hour, on the hour, for 24 hours to raise money for The Not Forgotten Association.

The 24 individual workouts are likely to involve a mixture of Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, running, rowing, cycling, functional bodybuilding and core conditioning that will test Member’s strength, speed, endurance and agility.

CrossFit workouts are never easy and are often very high intensity. Adding lack of sleep and muscle fatigue into the mix, these Athletes will be tested to their physical limits to raise money for this important cause.

Alex Burrell and James Przybek, owners of Wildcard, have both served as Royal Marines and have selected The Not Forgotten Association as it is a charity very close to their hearts. Alex has been a recipient of support from The Not Forgotten Association after being medically discharged from the Royal Marines.

Alex says ‘My final deployment was pretty tough and will be something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. We were a 5-man team deployed on a rescue vessel to the sea between Turkey and Greece just as the “Migrant Crisis” started.

We saw some of the best and worst in humanity over that time and I have been left with lasting scars mentally after some of the horrific things we had to deal with.’

Through social activities and challenges, The Not Forgotten Association combat the causes of isolation and loneliness; a blight that adversely affects so many vulnerable wounded, injured and sick service personnel and disabled members of the Armed Forces community.

They help to restore confidence, enhance wellbeing, boost morale and improve the chances of service men and women, providing fun, laughter and friendship to those who have served their country and now suffer.

Brigadier James Stopford CBE, Chief Executive of The Not Forgotten says ‘This challenge is going to be tough, but it’s an example to all of how no one should be defined or limited by their injury or illness. The Wildcard Longest Day Challenge epitomises what The Not Forgotten is all about – finding comradeship through challenge and we wish Alex and the team all the very best.’

James, co-owner of Wildcard, says ‘We have 30 of our committed Members taking part in the fundraiser including Students, Teachers, Doctors and members of the UK City of Culture 2021 team. It will be an extremely difficult challenge, with 24 different workouts and very little opportunity to grab a few minutes sleep. After three tours of Afghanistan with a high level of sleep deprivation, I could not be more proud of the Wildcard members embracing this challenge.’

A fundraising page has been set up to support Alex, James and the Members of Wildcard https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/WildcardLongestDay. Although The Longest Day will be an extreme test of fitness and stamina for established Members, Wildcard’s doors are open to those will all levels of fitness, with workouts scaled to suit each Member individually during small, coached, classes seven days a week.

___________________________________________________________

For more information on WildCard Strength and Conditioning visit http://wildcardsc.com/
For more information on The Not Forgotten Association visit https://www.nfassociation.org/

James Przybek is available for interview, contact jamesprzybek@gmail.com or call 07925 903 470

Guest Blog: FarGo Village Vegan Festival – Spring/Summer 2019

Posted on by Fargo

Let me launch right in by writing about some of the amazing small businesses that I met at FarGo Village last weekend. FarGo hosted their bi-annual vegan fair which is always a massive favourite of mine – I make a point of going there to support the tenants and FarGo themselves as much as possible.

Stands with Something to Say that Stood Out to Me

 

What I LOVED about Sunny Soul Up was their ethos – 100% recycled clothing which helped to save turtles. Literally, what’s not to love? These t-shirts are made up of 40% recycled plastic bottles, and 60% organic cotton. What fascinated me is that each shirt contained between 2 and 12 bottles and they were SO SOFT.

 

The lady from Ethical and Unique told me started crafting with plastics years ago, and then realised what a mistake she’d made! She immediately started changing to completely natural, ethical and cruelty free sources to create her beautiful necklaces and jewellery. Ethical and Unique jewellery reminded me of buried coins from Roman times – they were all so traditionally created. Some even reminded me of warriors’ shields!

Robbie at Cow Eggs was ever so sweet, and SO talented! I absolutely loved her watercolour renditions of pets – they had so much character, I just had to buy a card and a notebook! I might have to get a portrait done of my hamster…

Sophie (of Sophie Vujko Illustrations) was ever so lovely! She started off illustrating and then moved onto supporting animal rights within her up-cycled denim jacket designs – they were so sweet and all had vegan slogans on… I especially loved the pig in a teacup that said “Too Sweet to Eat!”

Honourable mentions include Sophie Hyam who put on a fabulous vegan food demonstration for us; Tropic who helped me find a moisturiser to suit my skin that was sustainable and smelt amazing and Chaaboo who make beautiful handmade tea scented soaps that also smelt incredible – I had to buy a Chai Tea one!

 

Now for what you’re all waiting for… THE FOOD!

 

The choice of food available at FarGo’s Vegan Fair was so vast that I ended up having a double-lunch plus tons more sweet things! I couldn’t help but want to try everything! It made me happy to know that it was guilt-free dining!

The first stall I’d like to shout about is LoveKimchi – they had some of the BEST Korean food I’ve ever tasted (all pictured above). I took one mouthful of their kimchi ramen and I HAD to buy myself some! The flavours were incredible and I loved this couple’s passion for their food!

 

There were SO many choices for sweet treats at the vegan fair – some of which you’d be so surprised to know are vegan! The cakes were so well presented, there were donuts the size of honeydew melons which I bought from The Doughnut Pod, and crepes made by the wonderfully named Bloods and Crepes lads who were great fun to chat with!

Treat yourself Vegan at FarGo Every Day

 

Let’s not forget the permanent tenants of FarGo  – these guys are there all week and are the beating heart of FarGo itself. Many of them offer vegan options all year round so there’s no excuse for not visiting any day of the week if you’re looking for vegan choices.

 

  • BackHaus a huge selection of vegan cakes and food
  • Rock’n’Roller Parlour use MUK vegan hair products and dyes
  • Bubble Boba can make almost all of their drinks vegan
  • Choc ‘n’ Roll offer vegan gourmet chocolate options
  • Olivia’s Handmade bath bombs are Vegan friendly and Cruelty Free
  • Twisted Barrel are a fully vegan brewery
  • Container No.8 have their own vegan cheese making kits
  • There’s also FarGo’s very own vegan store – The Green Unicorn!

Overall FarGo’s Vegan festival had a really nice balance of food to eat there, food to take away and trinkets and goodies to buy for yourself or as gifts. It gave small businesses a much-needed voice and face-to-face presence and there were so many passionate people there with the same ethos – cruelty free and ethical living!

 

Written by Amy Turner of WritingIntoTheEther.com in association with CovBloggers

 

Read the blog on Amy’s website here: https://www.writingintotheether.com/its-easy-being-green-fargo-village-vegan-festival/ 

SAMSUNG BRINGS A MOMENT OF MINDFULNESS TO COVENTRY’S CREATIVE QUARTER

Posted on by Fargo

SAMSUNG BRINGS A MOMENT OF MINDFULNESS TO COVENTRY’S CREATIVE QUARTER

 

 

Samsung partners with Suhaiyla Shakuwra to host exclusive workshops in FarGo village

COVENTRY, UK – April 24, 2019 – Samsung is collaborating with renowned jewellery designer and Well Being Expert, Suhaiyla Shakuwra, to host free wellness workshops in Coventry this Saturday (27th April).

This will be the first in a series of ten intimate, local workshops which Samsung is hosting across the nation this summer, powered by the new Galaxy S10 and captured on its best-in-class camera.

Each event will tap into a range of passions, with the kick-off event combining wellness and craft.

Guests attending this weekend’s workshop can expect to experience a ‘moment of mindfulness’ with cleansing teas, crystal meditation and bespoke jewelry making, all of which will be captured on the S10.

The impressive Scene Optimiser function recognises photo surroundings and automatically enhances the quality of images –  perhaps Coventry’s most Instaworthy weekend to date?

Workshops will be running throughout the day at Unit 5 in FarGo village, to book your space visit [https://www.samsung.com/uk/smartphones/galaxy-s10/explore/].

 

About Samsung Galaxy S10

Celebrating a decade since the launch of the first Galaxy S, Samsung has introduced a new line of premium smartphones: Galaxy S10. The range boasts four unique devices with innovations in the categories consumers care about most: display, camera and performance.

A testament to a decade of revolutions, the Galaxy S10 is designed for those who want a first-class smartphone and sets the stage for the upcoming generation of mobile experiences.

For those looking for a supercharged device, Galaxy S10+ takes every spec to the next level. The Galaxy S10e is built for those who want all the premium essentials in a compact package on a flat screen. Finally, Galaxy S10 5G is created for those who desire the fastest available speeds and most powerful features. Featuring the all-new Dynamic AMOLED display, next-generation camera, and intelligent performance, the Galaxy S10 line offers more choices and sets a new standard for the smartphone.

For more information on Galaxy S10 devices please visit Samsung Newsroom UK here.

 

About Suhaiyla Shakuwra

Suhaiyla produces handcrafted pieces of wearable art; working specifically with the vibrational properties of crystals and natural metals, creating jewellery which promotes positive healing for her clients. The elaborate adornment and practises of the ancestors have been an inspiration to Suhaiyla alongside astrology and mysticism. Her Work is rooted in Afro-futurism and has been featured in a range of publications including The Guardian, Elle, Stylist, GQ and i-D.

International Womens Day

Posted on by Fargo

This year on International Womens Day, we wanted to focus on the women of FarGo Village, who are working hard to create thriving independent businesses and share their creativity with Coventry. Our newest tenant, Claudia Rose Carter from The Photography Initiative, took a close up look at our fab FarGo women- thank you Claudia for the beautiful photographs and the strong words.

 

“In May of 2016 I sat in a brewery in Hackney Wick with The Gentlewoman magazine to escape from the pouring rain and reading these words resulted in a slight epiphany. “Women, in all fields – whether mothers or not – still encounter an extraordinary number of obstacles. They have to hold too many things together and often sacrifice their aspirations in the name of affections. To give an outlet to their creativity is thus especially arduous. It requires a great deal of motivation, strict discipline and many compromises. Above all, it entails quite a few feelings of guilt. And in order not to cut out a large part of one’s private life, the creative work should not swallow up every other form of self-expression. But that is the most complicated thing.”

Elena Ferrante (pseudonym) understood me. She made me feel as though I wasn’t alone. She confirmed that the depths of my anxiety were, in fact, entirely justified. That it IS a struggle for us to balance all of these different sub-sections of our life and that it’s absolutely fine for us to speak loud about it without feeling shame.

 

These portraits were taken on International Women’s Day 2018. They feature some of the other incredible women that offer their creativity and passion from a base at FarGo Village. I stand by you all. ”

Santa’s Little Makers Market- 23rd & 24th Nov

Posted on by Fargo

Santa’s Little Makers Market are our answer to Christmas shopping this year! Show someone how much you care, by shopping independent and buying something handcrafted with love for your friends and family this year! With so many traders to choose from, you’re sure to tick of your shopping list before you know it!

The first market is on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24thNovember, and we have a fabulous array of gifts on offer, as well as a collaboration with FarGo StrEat to bring you the best street food to fuel that shopping spree!  Join us on Friday evening, and all day Saturday for your one stop Christmas shop.

For more information, check out the event page!

Who’s Here?

GBJ Arts– Hand drawn photo-realistic prints

Coquillage Design– Colourful illustrations and fun design

Jewellery by Suzanne– Handmade jewellery out of totally recycled silver

Tootique Boutique– Needle felted creatures with personality!

NJD Art– Beautiful art works and home accessories

Ken Hurd– Watercolour paintings and landscapes

MDA Illustrations– Cartoons and music inspired illustrations

Milo’s Baby and Toddler Wear– Stylish handmade clothes for children

Lizard Gems– Handmade sea glass jewellery, inspired by nature

Clare Gets Crafty– Colourful and vibrant crochet

Clover Creations– Delicate hand woven macramé

Queen of Camellias– A wide range of of teas and herbal remdies

Curlicue- The weird and wonderful, a winter wonderland

BakeEven Cakery– Serving up delicious boozy cupcakes

 

Bek Bek Makes– Cute and quirky animal inspired jewellery and gifts

The Cluttery– Hand crafted, printed and carved accessories

The Cornish Fudge Bar– Delicious artisan fudges

Backhaus and Co.– and range of artisan bakes and cakes, and a huge vegan offering

Drawn by Hannah–  Textile and embroidered art

Thornless Rose– Hand crafted leather work

Urban–  Delicious marinades and splashes

Anne McFadden Fused Glass–  Fused glass deisgns and decorations

Mini Padam– Printed designs and hand crafted music icon dolls

Willis Design– Recycled materials transformed into bags

Tools for Self Reliance- Restored tools to raised charitable funds

GUEST BLOG: The Coventry Caffeine Hit

Posted on by Fargo

FarGo Village has become the “go to” area of Coventry for independent business and creatives over the past few years. Most weekends there is an event, a market or something interesting going on. The creative quarter is set inside re-purposed industrial buildings close to Gosford Green on the East of the City center.

FarGo Village embraces its urban setting by showcasing local street artist, and every service reflects the colour, diversity and history of the city. I’m sure there will be plenty of further developments as Coventry has won the honor of being City of Culture 2021.

This was the first Coffee Festival in Coventry, and I sure given the popularity of the event, I’m sure won’t be the last. The Box, FarGo was a good venue for the event, though it felt like there should have been a few more companies that could have been fitted in.

As for me, I had a special interest in the event. I am very passionate about my coffee, and even worked as a barista, cafe manager, and a chef in the past. I have been on the other side of the machine and I understand the intricacies, the precision, and the long journey involved in creating that perfect cup of coffee. I enjoy the differences and the nuances within flavours that make the difference between a good and a great coffee. I love the fact that the way milk is managed can make or break a cup of coffee, and that it is such a fine balance between quality, skill and equipment to create the black magic that is coffee. I love coffee, it is one of my passions, so I went into this with verve and enthusiasum, and I was not disappointed!

There was a crowd around the Java Lounge stall at the entrance to the room, as the barista was demonstrating latte art. Their latte art is showcased on instagram, and they seem to specialise in adding colourings into their milk to create weird and wonderful art on top of their coffees. They have a strong following on Instagram because of their unusual images. Java lounge were one of the sponsors for the event, so a big thank you to them. But there coffee itself is not to be ignored beneath the fluff of the milk foam.

The two house blends were also being showcased, as filter coffee, and I got to sample them while chatting to one of the barista.

There wasn’t just standard coffee and cows milk on offer. I was glad to see that Minor figures, an Oat milk and coffee artisan held up the ethical side of the areas. Within FarGo, there is a vegan cafe ( Totally Vegan), and Backhaus who ethically source their supplies.

I generally hate cold brew. Most coffee shops offer mediocre rubbish and charge a fortune for this latest fad. But the latest trend is to stock cans of great quality tasty nitro cold brew. This is the best one I’ve had. It is smooth, creamy and the flavour packs a punch! Even better I found the Cafe W inside Waterstones in Coventry stocks it! Made by Minor Figures, they also have a latte and mocha in the range. (Both which contain oat milk).

In addition, Minor Figures also make oatmilk based products, and have a dairy disloyalty card in coffee shops to celebrate world plant milk day. This is about changing the way people think about the dairy industry, and change their regular habits. It s also a great incentive for coffee shops to offer British made milks rather then the standard soya milk, which in itself also has a wide environmental impact.

The awesome bakers at Backhaus, always do stunning cakes, but this one maybe my favourite yet! This Orange chai cake was so packed with flavour! The icing was light and fluffy, as the surprise curd in the middle really added an extra zing! A perfect accomplishment to their Quarter Horse coffee! Based FarGo Village itself, The bake house is a cafe, bar, venue and has recently opened a cookery school. I personally love this place, the staff are fab, the food is stunning, and the social values of the enterprise are fabulous.

Backhaus also provided the entertainment for the day with their live stage which included several local acts. Here are some links if you fancy checking out some midlands base talent: Elk, Trees and Queens, Stylusboy, Mixtape Saints.

One of my favourite coffees of the festival was the house espresso blend from New Era Coffee. This new rooster based in Birmingham have branded their coffee around their love of ska music, and are more then happy in Coventry where The Specials originated!

The espresso is gutsy and sweet, with a beautiful lingering after taste. It was the nicest milk free coffee of the day. Very impressive for a company that has only been going since January!

Another new start up that attended the Coffee Festival, was Kaffee Haus. With only a few months under their belts, these guys are hitting the ground running with three coffees. One which is a good decaffeinated blend, which had had the caffeine removed using the Swiss water method, meaning that no unnecessary chemicals have been used. With big plans for the future, I’m keeping an eye on this company!

If coffee wasn’t to everyone’s taste, there was also Born Wild Tea, and Queen of Camellias offiering ethical sourced teas, herbs and compost able packaging.

There were also a few other businesses in attendance such as Ed’s Coffee House, from Coventry Market, a Birmingham based cake maker and the Independent Coffee Club.

I was upset That local family run coffee house Bean and Leaf had to drop out at the last minute, as this is one of my favourite central Coventry cafes. They offer Guest coffee which changes seasonally to give you fantastic filter options like V60, Kalita, Aeropress and Clever Dripper, as well as their regular roasts from Caravan Coffee roaster. Hopefully they will be able to attend the next one!

All in all, the event was lively, friendly and very delicious! I came away feeling satisfied, happy and of course Caffeinated!

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