“the festival is really an insight into me and my brain”

Festival founder Justine Robson, who lives in West Sussex with her partner and their dogs, wanted to bring a festival down to the South East. “I really felt there was nothing like it down here,” she tells us. “We have such creative talent and some amazing craft fairs and markets, but there is nowhere where you can go and take classes and watch demos. We made the idea into a festival so adults could camp and really immerse themselves in a weekend of creativity.” Justine had been thinking about putting something together for a few years, after noticing a lack of craft fairs in the area. “I kept putting it off as I didn’t really know where to start. Then in September 2021 I just suddenly knew what I wanted to do. It had been bubbling up inside me and then it all came out after a dream! I wanted to combine all the parts I loved from different events and my passions… creativity, camping, dogs, vintage, craft classes, quality handmade crafts, fun, meeting like-minded people, creating something with my friends. It all had to come together in one giant event. And just like that Carry on Crafting was born.

The Festival is really an insight into me and my brain.” The response to the festival has been amazing, from crafters old and new. “I realise that this event can seem female-orientated, but I had so many men and husbands of crafters come up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed it, which is just amazing,” says Justine. “We have nearly doubled the stall holders from last year and we have so many more wonderful craft classes. We’ve also had to extend the camping space to accommodate more campers. It was so successful, it pushed us into holding a Christmas one in early December, which we will repeat every year.” The idea was born in September 2021 and by November, Justine had booked the venue. In December, t