MORE than 80 different exhibitors will descend on Northwood House and park this Easter for a spring art and garden fair.

Garden and plant nurseries from both Island and mainland will be taking space on the lawns of the historic venue, while the house itself will play host to a fantastic Island artist showcase.

Garden machinery, tools, landscaping products and even hot tubs will all be on display over the two-day event — Good Friday and Easter Saturday, April 19 and 20.

Guest mainland exhibitors include Hardy’s Cottage Plants and Palms Exotics, from Hampshire, Rotherview Nursery, from Northamptonshire, and Hilden’s Nursery, from Kent.

Local plant nurseries include Bramley Plants, Busy Bee and Darren Everest, selling his RHS gold-medal winning dahlias.

Twenty Island artists will be exhibiting their work in the art showcase in the Northwood House ballroom and dining room.

There will be a live painting demonstration, complete with some human models as subject matter running through the weekend.

Visitors will be invited to have a go at sketching and painting with expert tuition on hand.

The event will also feature a Pimm’s Bar and a tea tent with live music managed by the Northwood House Volunteers, who won the Queens Award for Voluntary Service last year.

There will also be free children’s art and craft activity room and an Easter egg trail around Northwood Park for families to enter.

A floral art competition will also be running, with entries from local flower clubs.

Northwood Park will also celebrate the re-opening of its tennis courts on Saturday, April 20 and visitors will be welcome to try their hand at some free tennis lessons under the guise of the parks new tennis coach.

The spring fair is free to enter (with gate donations welcome and parking at £2 per car on the Ward Avenue field), and is open between 10am and 5pm on both days.

The proceeds from the event will be go to Northwood House Charitable Trust to help with ongoing restoration of the grade II* listed house.

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