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The second Majorcan Craft Fair will be open for its last day today. It is being held in the gardens of the Misericordia cultural centre at the end of the Via Roma in Palma and showcases some of the skills from the island´s most talented craftsmen and women as well as offering activities for children to get involved in.

The Fair has roughly 20 workshops, all demonstrating different types of craftwork and being run by skilled, local artisans. There is the opportunity to buy the products that you can see being made right in front of you, and quality seems to be assured. The craftsmen and women at the event show their skills in the various workshops. One is dedicated to the creation of jewellery from glass. Curious visitors yesterday watched avidly as a necklace or bracelet was made right in front of their eyes. Ten minutes later, after the glass had cooled in a bucket of sand, they were free to take their new piece of jewellery for a very reasonable price and most seemed delighted with their new possession. The craftsman at the stall described his art as being “like a drug. I could never give it up as I´m always striving to learn new techniques and methods to make the best piece of jewellery I possibly can”.

Another workshop was selling pottery. Pots and jugs, like everything else there, were made directly at the stall. The skilled artisan used a manually powered potter´s wheel and made pot after pot to the delight of the crowd of children that had amassed around him.

There are a few food stalls as well that sell things like ensaimadas, empanadas (pies) and a large variety of olives, all grown on the island.
Visitors crowded around the pastry stall as the stall holder demonstrated how to make the perfect Ensaimada.
One section of the garden is being used for games for the children. One game includes the use of a catapult to try and knock down a cardboard castle. Another requires a lot of skill as the the participant attempts to guide a horse shoe tied to strings up a board with various sized holes on it.

There´s also entertainment being provided in the form of plays and monologues on a mini stage that has been set up.
The event will finish after today and is certaintly worth a visit for those interested in traditional crafts or for those simply wanting to buy some quality made goods.

It has a very friendly atmosphere and the craftsmen and women there are very willing to answer questions.