Insular Craft Fair - Antigua - 2023

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

The XXXIV Insular Craft Fair will be held from May 4 to 7, 2023.

The Organization of the Insular Craft Fair, Antigua City Council and
Mafasca Collective Foundation, agree on main points for the next edition of
this regional event that will bring together artisans, crafts and modalities from all the islands.

 

The mayor of the municipality of Antigua, Matias Peña García, has indicated that the next edition of the Insular Craft Fair will be held again in the Plaza de Antigua and adjoining streets. This is due to two reasons, as explained by the mayor, on the one hand as a response to the demands of the artisans themselves who have participated in the previous edition, as well as the rest of the merchants, restaurants and cafes of the town, to which is added the support of numerous neighbors who transferred their congratulations to the organization for the environment and the dynamization contributed to the streets.

The other reason why the Plaza de Antigua has been chosen is due to the delay on the part of the Cabildo de Fuerteventura in the works for the enclosure planned next to the Cheese Museum. As Peña García points out, this decision will allow the island institution one more year of margin to execute its commitment.
The dates of celebration of the XXXIV Insular Craft Fair Fuerteventura 2023, will be from May 4 to May 7, thus avoiding coinciding with any other appointment of the regional and island Calendar.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

More than 150 artisans meet at the XXXIV Fuerteventura Island Craft Fair 2023.

This Monday, April 24, in the courtyard of the Canarian house, El Portón, in Antigua, the Presentation of the XXXIV Fuerteventura 2023 Island Craft Fair took place, carried out by the representatives of the Organization, the mayor, Matías Peña García and the representative of the Mafasca Collective Foundation, Bárbara Évora, accompanied by the president of the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, Sergio Lloret and on this occasion the one chosen as the 2023 Island Crafts Award, María Hernández Hernández, renowned master craftswoman in palm basketry.





Boosting traditional trades
Bárbara Évora detailed that there are two hundred stands that are being set up to accommodate more than 150 artisans from all the Canary Islands, who have confirmed their attendance, except for El Hierro due to last-minute personal incident. Évora made a special appeal to the institutions on the urgent need to promote traditional trades and avoid the disappearance of some modalities that represent us.

For his part, Mayor Matías Peña García, highlighted the value of the presence of the artisan María Hernández, who in difficult personal moments wanted to be here, supporting this new edition of the Insular Craft Fair. The mayor of Antigua thanked the work of all the parties involved in the organizational work that we have been developing for six months to offer and expose the best and in the best of ways, the Fair that is the flag of the Municipality of Antigua, and regional reference of quality, tradition and avant-garde of craftsmanship and its trades.

More than 200,000 euros to promote the fair
The City Council of Antigua allocates to the organization of the Insular Fair of Crafts Fuerteventura, 220,000 euros, the largest item approved for this purpose, guaranteeing the comfort of artisans, the organization of performances and Events attractive to all audiences, and recover two areas destined to the presence of public institutions and another of food with Canarian products.

The president of the Cabildo de Fuerteventura has highlighted the importance of the Insular Craft Fair, pointing out the important support it represents for the artisans themselves, both in their sales and in their promotion. Lloret also reported on the annual subsidy given to this event, which had been maintained for years at 40,000 euros, contributing this edition, 50,000 euros.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

Preparations begin for the XXXIV Island Craft Fair.

The City Council of Antigua destines these days an exclusive crew for the assembly of 200 stands that will host from next Thursday 4 and until Sunday 7 May to the artisans and artisans of all the Canary Islands participating in the XXXIV Insular Fair of Crafts Fuerteventura 2023.


A regional benchmark
A work that gives body and shape to the Insular Craft Fair with more years of celebration on the island, being a regional reference not only for the participation of all the islands but for the quality and purity of the artisanal product and trade required from the Organization of each edition, the City Council of Antigua and Mafasca Collective Foundation for thirty-four years.

Preparations begin
"This year, the assembly of stands extends to two new areas enabled to also host the public institutions of the island and the Food Market", and adds the mayor, Matías Peña García, "to which is added the structure of tents, installation of stage, decoration, street signage and a host of necessary details that are giving shape and body to this precious Insular Craft Fair, that with heart and commitment, between volunteers of the Mafaca Collective Foundation, municipal operators and technicians and workers of awarded and specialized companies, we manage to be the most welcoming, safe and attractive for all its attendees".

Street closures
The City Council of Antigua announces in a Municipal Bando the alteration, or in some cases the closure of some streets in the center of Antigua until May 12, such as Marcos Trujillo, the entrances to San Francisco and Peña Brito streets, in addition to the streets Virgen de Antigua, Mayor Montesdeoca Cabrera, Hermanos de Vera, La Cruz and Roque Calero Fajardo, in order to guarantee the proper development and safety of the Fair, avoiding any incident to people and vehicles.

The municipal councilor apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the normal alteration of circulation of these streets, measures coordinated with the Local Police of Antigua, which are adopted exceptionally and temporarily to take extreme precautions, so that there is no incident.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I went along to the fair today - goodness it was windy! Seemed to be a lot of people there - I hope the stallholders all did well for their efforts. I actually bought something from 4 different stalls - very unusual for me - all things I was looking for and all good value.
A lot of security staff in evidence: private company, policia local, guardia civil and Canarian policia.

One stall that I was interested in, and hadn't seen before, was a lady demonstrating using cochineal for dying fabrics and wool. She had example of live beetles on prickly pear pads, a box with dried, dead beetles, a pestle and mortar with ground up ones, and then lots of crafts that she had produced.

A local orchestra provided a musical background for the several hours I was there.

[Sam]

Thanks for the report, Tamara. Was there a reason for the extra security?

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I've no idea Sam, perhaps they were just more visible than normal.