Market Friday - A Crafts Fair Island Style
For this week’s #marketfriday challenge hosted by @dswigle I will share some photos I took at a crafts fair in St. Thomas, a beautiful island close to Puerto Rico, part of US Virgin Islands.
There are several crafts fairs held throughout the year, but the most important one is the one around Christmas, of course.
In Caribbean there is a popular saying: ‘The busiest day of the year is the day before Christmas.’ You know why? Because Caribbean people are so laid back... they leave everything on the last minute!!!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂
This Crafts Fair is organized by local authorities and everybody, young and old is getting involved, in a way or another. It is such a big event! Every body is present!
They set up their tents in the main market place or plaza and they display everything they can possibly sell. Mostly hand-made jewelry. Who cares if the display is wrinkled? As long as it is clean... it’s aiiiight...
Caribbean people are innovative people, they constantly improvise. Another popular saying is: “we make something out of nothing”... funny, but so true!
This lady is making home-made soaps, I buy from her all the time, I love her stuff. Other artists show off their carved coconut shells... so creative... boats and figurines, spoons and bowls...
Tons of accessories: belts, hats, scarfs...
Music is very important in Caribbean culture... CD business is flourishing...
And look at those wooden bird houses, how cute!
A Caribbean cultural fair is not a real fair if Jamaican art is missing. And the flag. There must be a Jamaican flag somewhere on display. Even me, an European lady, I own a Jamaican flag. I had to buy one at a fair. It is something that every Caribbean lover must have. 😊
I left the Rastafarian art for the end of this post. The Rasta liberation colors, red, green and yellow are eye catching. Beaded jewelry, scarfs, hats. Beautiful. Joyful.
Everybody is happy at the fair. I am smiling when I am writing this post and hopefully you are smiling when you’re reading it.
What a lovely market, I used to love visiting the local craft markets back when I used to travel
Yep, I am also smiling as I read this and we also buy home made pure home made Glycerin soap from a flea market.
A lovely post here my friend!
Blessings!