Feria de Artesanías de Ponce

The Feria de Artesanías de Ponce (English: Ponce Crafts Fair), formally, Feria de Artesanías y Muestra de Arte de Ponce (Ponce Crafts Fair and Arts Expo), is an event that takes place every year in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where artists, craftsmen and artisans showcase their products. The products showcased are traditionally hand-made and in small quantities. The fair centers around crafts that highlight the traditional cultural background of Puerto Rico, including Taino, African, and Spanish traditions. The event started in 1974 and is reported to draw "thousands of visitors".[1] It lasts three days and is held over a weekend during the month of April.

Feria de Artesanías de Ponce
The poster bill used for the 2018 Feria de Artesania
Official nameFeria de Artesanías y Muestra de Arte de Ponce
Observed byPonceños in Ponce, Puerto Rico
TypeLocal, cultural, musical
SignificanceIndigenous and native traditions
CelebrationsCrafts, art, music, traditional foods
ObservancesYearly
BeginsFriday
EndsSunday
DateLate March or early April
2020 dateNot celebrated due to the COVID-19 pandemic
FrequencyAnnual
Related toTaino, Jibaro, Culture of Africa

History
Feria de Artesanías de Ponce 2018, Plaza Las Delicias

Handcrafts and visual arts have a long cultural history in the city of Ponce. Some of its better known plastic artists are Miguel Pou, Librado Net, and Wichie Torres. Many Ponce Historic Zone homes were detailed by local craftsmen that worked alongside prominent Ponce architects in woodworking, ironworking, and metalworking. The Carnaval de Ponce is synonymous with paper-mache Vejigantes. The Museo de Arte de Ponce is an Island-wide mecca for visual arts and regarded as one of the best in the Western Hemisphere. The Taino culture was strong in the Ponce region with Taino cacique Agueybana originating from this region, and the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Park being located in Ponce's Barrio Portugués. Taíno artifacts have also been found in Ponce's Caracoles sector. Ponce was also the Island's stronghold of African culture as African slaves were brought to the Ponce area in large quantities to work the sugar fields during the 19th century sugar cane rush; the only monument to the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico and the entire Caribbean is located in Ponce.[2] Feria de Artesanias de Ponce started in March 1974.[3]

Venue

The celebration lasts three days and takes place during the month of March, sometimes in April, at Plaza Degetau, in Plaza Las Delicias. It was started in 1974 and has been held continuously since.[3] The 2020 edition was not celebrated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This fair should not be confused with "Feria Anual de Artesanías" which takes place at Plaza del Caribe during the month of October and which started in 2001.[4]

Sponsorship
Feria de Artesanías in April 2018

The fair is sponsored by the Centro Cultural de Ponce Carmen Solá de Pereira and the Ponce Municipal Government.[5] The fair is put together with grants from the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, and the Ponce Municipal Government plus donations from businesses and local industry including Destileria Serralles.[6]

Composition

The art expo was an additional feature of the fair and it was added in 1985.[7] Over 150 artisans participate in the entire Fair event.[8] Crafts expositions include those based on wood, clay and ceramics, crystal and glass, leather, bamboo and palms, soap and wax, metal and wire, cloth, and paper. Items such as baskets, musical instruments, dolls, religious figures, paper masks and vejigantes are displayed. The crafts shown are offered for sale.[9]

Typical program

Following is the program for the 2018 Ponce Crafts Fair. The program is typical of other years activities.

See also

References
  1. A Punto Para Otra Cumbre Artesanal en Ponce. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 35. Issue 1792. 4 to 10 April 2018. Page 10. Accessed 4 April 2018. Weblink updated 24 April 2018.
  2. Historia de la artesanía puertorriqueña: introducción y guía de estudio. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. ca.2000.
  3. Con cuatro decadas la Feria de Artesanias de Ponce. Sandra Torres Guzman. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 32. Issue 1582. 26 March 2014. Page 24.
  4. Plaza del Caribe presenta 9na feria de artesanías. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 23 October 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  5. Feria artesanal este fin de semana en Ponce. Primera Hora. 1 April 2011.
  6. Feria de Artesanía en Ponce (Puerto Rico). Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Diario Artesano. 23 March 2004. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  7. 39na. Feria de Artesania y 28va. Muestra de Arte. Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine FuturoPR. 2014.
  8. Festín cultural en la plaza de Ponce. Sandra Torres Guzmán. La Perla del Sur. 25 March 2015. Accessed 13 April 2016. Weblink updated 26 February 2018.
  9. Feria de Artesanías de Ponce. Travel and Sports. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  10. 44ta Feria de Artesanias y 33ra Muestra de Arte. Centro Cultural Carmen Sola de Pereira de Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 13 April 2018. page 34. ("Programa")

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