Native folk representing 13 communities in the state of Michoacan will showcase their crafts, customs and regional cuisine at the Ajijic Plaza during the Union de Pueblos Purépecha Festival to be held Friday, December 13 through Sunday, December 15.
The artisans fair will be up and running as of 11 a.m. on Friday, with vendors lining the square to offer a wide variety of artesanias, or crafts, produced in different villages. The selection will include copperware from Santa Clara del Cobre, large pottery vessels from Cocucho, embroidered rebozos from Angahuan, woven reed and straw articles from Tzintzuntzan, carved wood masks from Tocuaro and outlandish surreal clay figurines from Ocumicho.
Chapala Mayor Joaquin Huerta is due to appear at 5 p.m. to preside at the official inauguration of the event, to be followed by a performance of traditional masked dancers from Tocuaro.
A special feature of the festival will be the display of large format photographs by Jesus Alejandre. Put together under the title Espiritú de Michoacán, the images depict people, landscapes and unique traditions of one of Mexico’s most precious cultural and natural jewels.
This extraordinary traveling photo exhibit will remain in Ajijic until December 28. Alejandre will be packing up his work for a 2014 north-of the-border tour, with shows already booked in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York City and Toronto.