No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsArts and CultureHoliday market offers new forum for old-fashioned shopping

Holiday market offers new forum for old-fashioned shopping

Today marks the launch of the fourth-annual Tropical Market, or Mercado Tropical,at the Casa del Cuño outside of the Antigua Aduana in San José – providing an ideal place to shop for Christmas gifts and spend time with family and friends.

María Hortensia Ruge, who is the organizer of the event and has a background in fashion design, told The Tico Times that she created the Market because she observed a need for  new ways for local Costa Rican designers and producers to have direct contact with consumers. This is the second year in which the Market istaking place at the Casa del Cuño, Dec. 11-14 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. each day, with 64 local businesses participating.

Four of the participating businesses will serve food at the Café Tropical, a new section of the fair this year. Free activities such as conferences, yoga classes and a mobile butterfly farm are part of this extensive, but fun event. The calypso band Rice & Beans will close the fair with a presentation of Caribbean Christmas carols.

The Tico Times
The Tico Times

Chocolate SIBÚ, one of the participants in this year’s fair, got its start in 2010 as a family business. They make hand-crafted chocolates with organic cocoa from San Isidro de Heredia, and have 16 different types of chocolates in their menu including truffles, caramels, and chocolate ganache with homemade fruit jam – and, during the Christmas season, delicious chocolate tamales.

Another business participating in the fair is Ximena Esquivel Joyería, named for its owner and creator. Her work incorporates stones opals and pearls, and techniques including wax carving; all pieces are handmade and mounted in silver settings.

“I’ve always been interested in jewelry. When I was little, I would make necklaces with beads. Later on, I took classes in a jewelry school and several workshops,” Esquivel told The Tico Times.

Courtesy of Ximena Esquivel
Courtesy of Ximena Esquivel

According to Ruge, the products at the fair are of higher quality than imported goods because they are hand-crafted rather than mass-produced.

“Buying local does not imply less quality. It has a great impact on the ecological and economic level,” Ruge said. “The power of buying a product is even a way to make a political change. The way in which you choose to buy is the way in which you impact the entrepreneur.”

The Tropical Market takes place Dec. 11-14, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. at the Casa del Cuño outside of the Antigua Aduana, San José. Free. More information at the event’s Facebook page.

 

Trending Now

JetBlue Flash Sale: Fort Lauderdale to Liberia Flights Ends Today

Those looking for a deal on airfare and eyeing a trip between Florida and Costa Rica now have a chance to get one with...

Costa Rica’s Liberia Airport Fixes Runway Issues Overnight

Contractors began repairs on the runway at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport this week, focusing on sections that did not meet required standards after...

Guatemalan Migrant Children Fear Deportation by Trump

At 15, I.B. fled poverty and an abusive father in Guatemala. She emigrated alone to the United States, like hundreds of children living in...

Scientists Identify New Salamander in Costa Rica’s Highest Peak Ecosystem

Scientists have identified a new salamander species in the remote páramo of Chirripó National Park, highlighting our country's rich biodiversity and the pressing challenges...

Bolivia Elects Center-Right Leader Amid Crisis

Bolivians on Sunday elected a pro-business center-right senator as their new president, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the South American...

Why This U.S. Expat in Costa Rica Chooses Local Over Headlines

In the weeks leading up to my trip to the US, I scanned several news sites both left-leaning and right-leaning to better inform myself...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica