• The event, promoted by Fedac and organized by Infecar, opens its autumn edition in the south of the island
• The exhibition will be open from 10:00 to 19:00 hours until Sunday, November 2, and will feature musical performances to enliven the visit

The Gran Canaria Craft Fair opened its doors today for the first time in autumn and in the south of the island, with the aim of “keeping alive Fedac’s goal of promoting local crafts,” stated the president of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, during the inauguration. He emphasized that this is “a key space for the island’s artisans, where they can sell the work they create throughout the year.”

Morales justified holding a new edition of the Gran Canaria Craft Fair because “the visit of local residents, but especially of people coming from other places, represents an economic boost that allows artisans to continue their work.” He added that fairs held in Maspalomas “usually generate a return of between 120,000 and 200,000 euros.”

Thus, for the first time at this time of year, the island’s artisans will be able to showcase their crafts around the Maspalomas Lighthouse, where three large tents will host, until November 2, seventy-six professionals from seventeen municipalities. Among them are six artisans joining this year’s edition of the Gran Canaria Craft Fairs to present their work.

In this new event, which expands the annual calendar promoting Gran Canaria’s crafts and gives new momentum to the sector, there is room for both contemporary disciplines—such as material recycling, ceramics, and jewelry—and traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, cigar-making, woodturning, traditional carpentry, embroidery, and reed basketry. In total, twenty-five crafts will be exhibited at the fair, which will also feature artisans specialized in leatherwork, jewelry, ceramics, toy-making, patchwork, and glasswork, among many others.

Ceramics is the craft with the highest representation in this edition, with twelve artisans showcasing their work, followed by leatherwork with ten and jewelry with nine participants.

Once again, artisans from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are the most numerous: thirty-one of the seventy-six professionals in this edition come from the island’s capital, followed by Telde with eight; Agüimes and San Bartolomé de Tirajana with five each; Ingenio and Valsequillo with four each; and Firgas and Santa María de Guía with three. Meanwhile, Agaete, Santa Brígida, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, and Teror each have two artisans, while Valleseco, Moya, Arucas, Gáldar, and Mogán are represented by one artisan each.

The pleasant weather typical of southern Gran Canaria has already attracted the first visitors, looking for unique, handmade products rooted in the island’s culture. The artisans, for their part, are eager to explain their craft to visitors and to share the products they have lovingly created over recent months.

Cultural program

Until Sunday, November 2, the fair will remain open from 10:00 to 19:00 hours.

In addition to the exhibition of handmade products, visitors will enjoy live music performances that will enhance their visit. On Wednesday, October 29, Zaida Jiménez and Juan Sebastián Ramírez will perform; on Friday, October 31, Daniel Moreno, Misael Jordán, and Juan Sebastián Ramírez; and on Saturday, November 1, the duo Guardilama. All performances will begin at 17:00 hours.

Full information about this exhibition, musical performances, and the list of participating artisans in this edition of the Gran Canaria Autumn South Craft Fair is available on the website feriasartesaniagrancanaria.es.

Promoted and funded by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, through the Ethnography and Development Fund for Canary Islands Crafts (Fedac), under the Department of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce and Crafts, the Autumn South Craft Fair is organized by Infecar, Feria de Gran Canaria, with the collaboration of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council.