The Fiesta World Craft Bazaar is celebrating 20 years of fun, food and fair trade; and for the first time its is open for two days.
This Saturday it will be open at the Florence Filberg Centre from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 to 3.
Fiesta continues to grow and organizations and businesses from Vancouver, the Island and over 20 from our own Valley are delighted with the support they receive at Fiesta.
There is always something new at Fiesta. The phone rings and someone tells their story and often they join the Fiesta family.
This year Archipelago Home, a local business, will dazzle you with their wide selection of handcarved local birds. David and Anna are working closely with master carvers in Bali Indonesia.
Jillian Rutherford, a young Valley woman will sell jewelry from a Women’s Income Generating project in Shanti, Uganda. Jillian is then heading over to Uganda to help these HIV-positive women. Buy some beautiful jewelry and hear her story.
There are gorgeous metal angels, moose, vanilla and almond extract and more from Haiti, which has recently been battered by hurricane Sandy.
Parksville and Campbell River granny groups will join our own Glacier Grannies, selling their unique Christmas gifts to raise money for Africa’s grandmothers and orphans.
The variety at Fiesta is remarkable, from a young woman with passion and compassion making a difference one necklace at a time to 10,000 Village stores arriving with a large truck full of delights from around the globe. The workmanship of the artisans and the quality of their handmade products is outstanding. These people are keeping age old skills alive.
Stoves from Scarves will sell their colourful Guatemalan scarves so that they can provide families with efficient stoves. Fiesta is fair trade and each vendor in the bazaar has a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in the international trade.
Bead for Life will have an eye-catching display of paper jewellery from the talented women of Uganda. Ba will be back with his shea butter products which support villages in Senegal.
There is something for every pocketbook and for every age, delightful ornaments or toys for a few dollars or high end Tibetan carpets and housewares. Bring your children to do their shopping and then let them have some fun getting their faces painted and playing with the students from the Interact Clubs from all three high schools.
Fiesta isn’t just about crafts.
Art Cards, a local co-operative for artists with developmental disabilities will sell their sparkling handmade cards. Amnesty International will sell inspirational cards and candles, offering a way to support prisoners of conscience around the world. Our own L’Arche community will have cards, jewelry and a new selection of dried soups and desserts.
Fiesta has its own poster room with beautiful art posters and stimulating educational posters of all sizes. We are changing the world one poster or bumper sticker or button at a time.
There is also a wide variety of childrens’ books, thought provoking books, calendars, and agendas. Fiesta will also have Western Canada’s largest selection of co-operative games.
Family Pastimes is a Canadian success story. Imagine playing a game that is fun and teaches you how to get along with other people.
Fiesta will again provide you with the opportunity to give an alternative gift. You will be able to make donations to different organizations on behalf of someone on your Christmas list, maybe even yourself. You can help the aged or buy a chicken or goat for a family in Uganda through ACTS. These gifts are income tax-deductible.
One change at Fiesta is an admission charge of $2 to anyone over 18. The rental at the Filberg, advertising and transportation is becoming difficult for the vendors to cover.
Your $2 will assure that they can continue to bring the world to the Valley and support the artisans and their families. Please consider bringing a toonie to help us speed you into Fiesta.
Fiesta has been such a positive journey over the last 20 years. It has grown up from its humble beginnings in St. George’s United Church hall to Canada’s largest fair trade global craft fair.
Fiesta has also added a website at www.Fiestafairtradefair.ca and you can like them on Facebook at Fiesta World Craft Bazaar.
— Fiesta