Christmas shopping’s a breeze at Twilight Markets

Sixty-five stallholders are set to open their marquees at the Coolum Twilight Markets.

Attendees enjoy the Twilight Markets.

THE Coolum Lioness Club is making Christmas shopping easy with 65 stallholders set to open their marquees at the Twilight Markets.

Club president and Twilight Markets co-ordinator Shirley Salisbury is expecting a wide variety of new and old stalls that will sell clothing, shoes, jewellery, fudge and even licorice.

The coffee van and Lionesses stall are donating funds to a special cause.

Donated doll clothes, handmade by a local cancer patient, will be sold by the Lionesses, allowing them to raise much-needed funds for the Lions' childhood cancer research fund.

The Lions Club has donated more than $900,000 for childhood cancer research and Mrs Salisbury hopes the doll clothes will help raise more.

"They were a big hit last year and I'm hoping they will be this year," Mrs Salisbury said.

Chaplaincies in the area will also receive a Christmas gift from the markets with a percentage of the coffee van profits being donated.

Held in Tickle Park, the markets run for nine weeks and provide the perfect opportunity for locals to find that "elusive Christmas present".

"A lot of people do shop for Christmas presents because they feel that they can get something different than what you can buy in shops," Mrs Salisbury said.

The summer markets have been running successfully for more than 20 years but Mrs Salisbury said she would love to see more locals attending.

"Sometimes the first and second night are quiet because people [tourists] aren't on holidays, so we rely on the local people," Mrs Salisbury said.

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