Chesterfield 1940s Market returns with Home Guard encampment, vintage vehicles and 40s entertainers

Visitors will be able to listen to Forties music and meet the flea market stallholders in period dress on October 27, 2022.

New for this year will be a Home Guard encampment, with re-enactors based in the churchyard where activities will include drill lessons for children, a first aid station, and a signal station.

Learn about the challenges of bomb disposal during the Second World War from a re-enactor and have a go at defusing three different dummy ‘bombs’ during a new activity in the Pavements Centre.

Kalamazoo dance band, an escapologist act and a selection of 1940s singers will be performing throughout the day.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “The 1940s Market gets more popular every year and our team have worked really hard to find some fantastic new acts and activities for this year.

“We’ve made sure there is lots to see and do for every member of the family and of course it’s also a fantastic opportunity to support our local businesses and traders.”

There will be a competition for the best dressed trader and visitors are encouraged to get into the 40s spirit by dressing in period costumes.

The Chesterfield Museum team will be taking over a shop in the Pavements Centre where they will be explaining more about rationing, allowing people to get hands on with history with their Second World War handling objects and evacuees’ suitcase.

There will also be an opportunity to design and print 1940s tiles, courtesy of Wessex Archaeology who are running the activity in the Pavements Centre.

Classic cars and a vintage fire engine will be on show throughout the day.

There will also be displays on the Land Army and mining.

More activities and entertainers are still being confirmed. You can find out more about the event by visiting: www.visitchesterfield.info/40s

The 1940s Market, running from 10am to 4pm, is a free event aimed at bringing more visitors into town to support the local economy.