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, craftspeople 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".[14] 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 name | Feria de Artesanías y Muestra de Arte de Ponce |
| Observed by | Ponceños in Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Type | Local, cultural, musical |
| Significance | Indigenous and native traditions |
| Celebrations | Crafts, art, music, traditional foods |
| Observances | Yearly |
| Begins | Friday |
| Ends | Sunday |
| Date | Late March or early April |
| 2022 date | 19-20 March[1] |
| 2023 date | 18-19 March[2] |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Taino, Jibaro, Culture of Africa |
History edit
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 Feria promotes Taíno, Jíbaro and African cultures. 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.[15] Feria de Artesanías de Ponce started in March 1974.[16]
Venue edit
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.[16] 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.[17]
Sponsorship edit
The fair is sponsored by the Centro Cultural de Ponce Carmen Solá de Pereira and the Ponce Municipal Government.[18] 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.[19]
Composition edit
The art expo was an additional feature of the fair and it was added in 1985.[20] Over 150 artisans participate in the entire Fair event.[5] 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.[21]
Typical program edit
Following is the program for the 2018 Ponce Crafts Fair. The program is typical of other years activities.
| Typical program | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity[22] |
| Friday | |
| 8:00 am | Registration of Artisans and Plastic Artists |
| 11:00 am | Fair Opens - Welcoming Remarks |
| 11:10 am | Plena Tres Panderos Singers |
| Noon | Workshops |
| 1:00 pm | Dr. Pila High School Choir |
| 2:30 pm | Plucked Strings Ensemble (Conjunto de Cuerdas Punteadas) |
| 3:30 pm | Ponce High School Choir |
| 4:30 pm | Tuna Escuela de Derecho PUCPR |
| 5:30 pm | Minstrel Belen Marie and Sentimiento Boricua Singers |
| 6:00 pm | School of Bomba and Plena "Isabel Albizu Davila" and the Umoja Ensemble |
| 7:00 pm | Homenage |
| 8:00 pm | Tipico Mapeye Singers |
| Saturday | |
| 10:00 am | Workshops |
| 11:00 am | Basketry Demo by E. Marcucci y J. Sotomayor |
| Noon | Steel Band |
| 1:30 pm | Carlos Cruz, Performer of Black Poetry |
| 2:30 pm | Centro Danza |
| 5:00 pm | Conciencia |
| 8:00 pm | Esencia Ensemble |
| Sunday | |
| 11:00 am | Workshops |
| 1:00 pm | Muppet Orchestra |
| 2:30 pm | Cimarrones |
| 3:00 pm | Pico a Pico de Trovadores, Tipico Boricua Singers |
| 5:00 pm | Bomba Workshop by Rafael Mayra Alvarez |
| 8:00 pm | ¡Plenéalo! |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ De fiesta el Centro Cultura {sic} de Ponce: La entidad festejará este domingo su aniversario con un mercado artesanal y presentaciones artísticas abiertas al público. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Accessed 10 November 2021. (Printed Edition: "De fiesta el Centro Cultura {sic} de Ponce." Year 38. Issue 1980. 10-16 November 2021. p.13. )
- ^ En marzo la Feria de Artesanías del Centro Cultural de Ponce. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Accessed 5 February 2023.
- ^ Regresa la Feria de Artesanías de Ponce. Reinaldo Millán. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 3 April 2013. Accessed 6 March 2014.
- ^ Regresa la Feria de Artesanías de Ponce. Sandra Torres Guzmán. La Perla del Sur. 26 March 2014. Accessed 13 April 2016. Weblink updated 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Dan nueva vida a la artesanía boricua. Belinda Z. Burgos González. La Perla del Sur. Year 34. Issue 1688. 6 April 2016. Accessed 13 April 2016. Weblink updated 26 February 2018.
- ^ Retoma la Plaza la Feria de Artesanias. Belinda Z. Burgos González. La Perla del Sur. (printed edition) Year 34. Issue 1688. Page 18. 5 April 2016. Accessed 20 April 2016.
- ^ Retoma la Plaza la Feria de Artesanias. Belinda Z. Burgos González. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 34. Issue 1688. Page 18. 5 April 2016. Accessed 26 February 2018.
- ^ Son cuatro vidas unidas por el camino de la cultura: Ana Medina, Sandra Torres Guzmán, Ángeles Badea Pérez e Iraida Muñiz Martínez serán reconocidas este fin de semana por sus aportaciones al Centro Cultural Carmen Solá de Pereira y su compromiso con el quehacer social de la ciudad. Coral Negron Almodovar. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 35. Issue 1739. page 12. 29 March - 4 April 2017. Accessed 29 March 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Convocan al mas grande junte artesanal de La Perla del Sur. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 36. Issue 1843. 27 March to 2 April 2019. Pages 10-11. Accessed 27 March 2019.
- ^ Ponce se reactiva: vuelve a la plaza su Feria de Artesanías. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Accessed 17 March 2021. (Printed Edition: Year 36. Issue 1946. 17-23 March 2021. Pages 6, 11.)
- ^ Ponce se reactiva: vuelve a la plaza su Feria de Artesanías. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Accessed 17 March 2021. (Printed Edition: Year 36. Issue 1946. 17-23 March 2021. Pages 6, 11.)
- ^ 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.
- ^ Historia de la artesanía puertorriqueña: introducción y guía de estudio. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. ca.2000.
- ^ a b Con cuatro décadas la Feria de Artesanías de Ponce. Sandra Torres Guzman. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 32. Issue 1582. 26 March 2014. Page 24.
- ^ Plaza del Caribe presenta 9na feria de artesanías. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 23 October 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- ^ Feria artesanal este fin de semana en Ponce. Primera Hora. 1 April 2011.
- ^ Feria de Artesanía en Ponce (Puerto Rico). 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Diario Artesano. 23 March 2004. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- ^ 39na. Feria de Artesania y 28va. Muestra de Arte. 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine FuturoPR. 2014.
- ^ Feria de Artesanías de Ponce. Travel and Sports. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- ^ 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")
External links edit
- Tercera feria regional de artesanías de Ponce. Sam L. Slick Collection of Posters, 1970–2000; University of New Mexico Library.