The Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa officially inaugurated this afternoon the 37th Lanzarote Handicraft Fair, the benchmark event for the sector in the archipelago, which will take place at the Mancha Blanca fairgrounds (Tinajo) until September 15. The event starts this year with notable growth, bringing together more than 140 participants including artisans, collectives, and institutions, and further consolidating its international projection with Uruguay as the guest country.
During the inauguration, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, Oswaldo Betancort, invited citizens to massively support the sector: "this fair shows that the artisanal sector is alive and strong, and that this government group spares no effort in supporting and making visible the meticulous work and heritage value that exists behind each piece." Betancort recalled that "buying handicrafts is acquiring culture, identity, and development, as that small gesture stays in our land, promoting the circular economy." In that vein, he suggested to everyone who visits Mancha Blanca these days to buy a handcrafted souvenir.
The vice-president of the Cabildo, María Jesús Tovar, expressed herself in the same vein, emphasizing the institutional importance of the Handicraft Fair, stating that "this year's event reaffirms the Cabildo's commitment to our creators." Tovar defined the fair as much more than a meeting point between creators, residents, visitors, and the general public, and described the event as "a key economic and tourist projection platform for Lanzarote and for all of the Canary Islands," while mentioning that this initiative is possible in part thanks to the contribution of the Canary Islands Development Fund (FDCAN), a public financing instrument created by the Government of the Canary Islands to promote economic development, job creation, and social and territorial cohesion throughout the Archipelago.
Traditional music and hats
After a performance by musicians dressed in traditional attire, the opening ceremony included speeches by the mayor of Tinajo, Jesús Machín, who acted as host, celebrating the consolidation of Mancha Blanca as the beating heart of traditions, and highlighting that for Tinajo it is an honor to welcome artisans from all over the archipelago once again: "our municipality becomes the showcase for the best of our land and our identity these days."
Then intervened the counselor of the Government of the Canary Islands, Migdalia Machín, who applauded the new edition of such a unique event, praising the novelties of the 2026 edition and the honesty of the work done with the care of the hands. Migdalia recalled that craftsmanship is living memory and a pillar of our culture. “For the Government of the Canary Islands, it is a great honor to witness the enormous participation and the prestige of such a consolidated event with the craftsmanship of our land as the Lanzarote Craft Fair,” she expressed, while showing her satisfaction about “how the generational change and innovation are promoted without losing our essence.”
Next, Mauro Escudero, director of the Craft Development Area of the Ministry of Industry of Uruguay, took the floor, who thanked the cultural twinning and the presence of his country at the Fair, to strengthen international ties. Escudero assured that “it is an honor for Uruguay to be the guest country of the prestigious Lanzarote Craft Fair. We maintain a historical link with the islands and this space is a unique opportunity to strengthen ties and share the richness of our traditional craftsmanship with the Canarian people and the fair visitors.”
Finally, the counselor of Craftsmanship of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Aroa Revelo, detailed the main attractions of the program, highlighting that “this edition pays a well-deserved tribute to traditional clothing with the monographic on hats. We want residents and visitors to enjoy, but also to discover the value of the trade through the 'Heritage in the Hands' space, as well as all the dynamic activities that we have prepared with such care for these six days,” inviting visitors to participate in the workshops.
A symbol of Arrecife to strengthen ties
During the inaugural tour, the Arrecife City Council presented a jolatero, one of the pieces linked to the maritime tradition of the capital, to both the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa and to the representation of Uruguay, the guest country of this 37th edition.
The councilor for Culture of the Arrecife City Council, Abigail González, highlighted that “with this delivery we want to share a part of the history and identity of Arrecife, closely linked to the sea, and to do so with Uruguay, with whom the Canary Islands maintain so many historical and cultural ties.”
Traditional hats and generational change
The attendees of this first day of the Fair were already able to verify the thematic renewal. After dedicating last year to traditional footwear, this 37th edition turns its attention to the typical hats and sombreros from Lanzarote and La Graciosa made with plant fibers, with the aim of safeguarding the technical knowledge of this historical attire traditionally linked to the countryside, but which today has jumped to shops and even the fashion circuit.
Likewise, the space 'La Herencia en las manos' began its journey, where a dozen veteran artisans will carry out live demonstrations of traditional crafts to ensure transmission to new generations, complemented by educational workshops taught by a team of eight independent professionals.
The fair will keep its doors open in Mancha Blanca, Tinajo, from tomorrow Friday the 11th until Tuesday the 15th with uninterrupted hours from 10:30 to 21:30.
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