They've just settled into their new home at Canberra Airport, but Hustle and Scout twilight fashion markets are about to pack up and move again.
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This Saturday's event, which is run alongside The Forage street food markets, will be its last at Hangar No. 47 in Fairbairn, which was built in 1940 as part of the Royal Australian Air Force base.
"It was always a temporary solution," said Hustle and Scout organiser Tegan McAuley.
"I guess we just didn't know how long it was gonna be for but at the end of the day it's used for aviation-related business so the Canberra Airport want it to remain available for its intended purpose, which is fair enough."
The event moved to the airport location in September last year from its original home in New Acton.
"Though it wasn't a permanent solution we were keen to go with the hangar when the opportunity arose because it was going to allow us to grow the event from our first home in New Acton because we grew out of that space very quickly," she said.
"The first Hustle and Scout had 2500 people and the first event at the hangar had 6000 so that's a bit of an indication of how much it's grown. We had lots of vendors really keen to get involved but were unfortunately unable to because we didn't have the space so it's been good to give other designers and makers the opportunity to get on board."
The challenge now for McAuley and Belinda Neame, organiser of The Forage, is to find a space in Canberra that fits with their aesthetic, but is big enough to keep the same number of vendors on board.
"I'm feeling optimistic about it – I feel like there's been quite a bit of support so far.
"We're scoping out a few options at the moment but nothing is really that straightforward - especially since we're looking for something that's a bit untapped."
Saturday's event will have 63 fashion stalls, 32 food stalls, live music, roving models from the upcoming Fashfest and for the first time, a pop-up hub by The Makers' Collective, with different hands-on workshops.
The duo was also successful this year in their application for a grant for the ACT Events Fund to help the event grow.
"We got some funding to help us increase awareness and broaden our reach so to try and get more people in Canberra and beyond to know about the event, and also to help us grow the entertainment program a little bit," she said.
"That's something for us that's really important to set us apart from other markets is to provide these additional immersive experiences that are going to give people a reason to come, not just for the food and the fashion, but to have a good time going to workshops, or to have a dance or listen to live music."
Hustle and Scout and The Forage is on Saturday, April 11, from 2-7pm at Hangar No. 47, 8-10 Point Cook Ave, Fairbairn – follow the yellow signs from the airport.
