Race is on as inaugural Manjimup Markets and More makes its debut this Saturday

The countdown to the inaugural Manjimup Markets and More is on as stallholders, retailers and entertainers get ready for this Saturday.

More than 4000 people are expected to attend the first iteration of the markets that is replacing the cancelled Cherry Harmony Festival, which will make its return next year.

The event this weekend will include cooking demonstrations by WA Food Ambassador Don Hancey from 10.30am to 1.30pm on Brockman Street, log chops at 10.45am at Coronation Park, local entertainment from the Julia Sykes School of Music students, as well as Southern Stage Performing Arts and more than 100 market stalls showing the best of the region.

The Two Little Blackbirds Cafe will hold its annual Cherry Degustation dinner on Friday and Saturday, while the Seventh-day Adventist Church will host a Very Cherry Brekkie on Sunday in the Town Hall.

Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie will open the event alongside the Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman, while Indigenous community member Phyllis Karahoutis will be doing the Acknowledgment to Country.

Ms Kelsbie said the event would provide a massive boost to both Manjimup and the Southern Forests region, and said she was “delighted” it had been supported by the Regional Events Scheme.

“Manjimup Markets and More will provide a massive boost for the town and the region, especially given the cancellation of the iconic Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival,” she said. “To the organising committee and everyone involved in staging this new event at such short notice, my heartfelt thanks and congratulations.”

Manjimup shire president Donelle Buegge said the day looked to be full-on, despite being a more scaled-down affair.

“We’re going to have the log chop, which has been a long-running event and important to keep in the festival, I think there will be over 100 market stalls in Manjimup,” she said. “With the stalls, it’s still a big event, even though it is scaled down from last year.”