The Lanzarote Craft Fair reaches its 36th edition this year and has been officially presented at the local Cabildo. The event, which will take place from 10 to 15 September in Mancha Blanca, will host over 120 artisans from the Archipelago and will also feature international creators from San Antonio, Texas.
The presentation was presided over by the President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, accompanied by the Councillor for Crafts, Aroa Revelo, the Councillor for Culture, Jesús Machín, and the Mayor of Tinajo, also Jesús Machín. Representing the sector were artisans Félix Hernández Saavedra and Víctor Socas.
As the Councillor for Crafts noted, the fair attracted over 70,000 visitors in 2024 and is one of the most significant cultural events on the island. Revelo highlighted that this year’s edition aims to showcase traditional crafts “deeply connected to the history of Lanzarote, such as soletas and rosetas”, while also embracing international collaboration with Texan artisans.
President Betancort emphasised that island craft is not only focused on preserving trades but also represents “industry, economy, and culture,” linked to fashion, sustainability, and Canarian identity.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Tinajo expressed appreciation for the efforts of the local institution, noting that Mancha Blanca “has established itself as the venue for this event”, becoming the focal point of international craft each September.
Workshops, Trades, and Parallel Activities
The programme for the 36th Craft Fair is designed to attract a wide audience, combining tradition, innovation, and communal spaces. Family and adult workshops will highlight ancestral trades such as pottery, palm weaving, and leather tanning. Additionally, there will be live demonstrations by basket weavers, knife makers, and shoemakers.
The cultural offering has been expanded to include tastings of gofio, musical performances, folk gatherings, talks on tradition, and demonstrations of native sports and games such as Canarian wrestling, the tin can game, and plough lifting.
This year’s highlights include the third edition of the Rosetas Meeting, a special tribute to soletas as characteristic artisanal footwear of the island, the participation of guest creators from Texas, and the announcement of the Lanzarote Craft Awards 2025, promoted by the Cabildo and the Centres for Art, Culture, and Tourism (CACT).
These awards aim to recognise the quality, sustainability, and longevity of artisanal trades. Aroa Revelo explained that the contest “has highlighted the resilience and creativity of a sector that has adapted and reinvented itself without losing the wisdom of our ancestors.”
Exhibition and Timings
The fair will offer visitors the opportunity to purchase traditional and contemporary pieces. Stalls will showcase rural hats, Canarian knives, basketry, and pottery, along with more modern propositions such as innovative jewellery, designer textiles, and lamps that blend artisanal techniques with contemporary trends.
The fairgrounds will open its doors on Wednesday 10 September at 17:30. From 11 September, the hours will be 10:30 to 21:30 until Monday 15. Workshops requiring prior registration will be available from 5 September at 08:00 via the official website artesaniadelanzarote.com.
