Fifth Annual Andale! Bazaar the best one yet!

By Michele Kinnon

I have had the pleasure of attending the Andale Bazar for four years running and I can say, without any hesitation, that this was the best year by far! I don't know if the slump in our local economy is driving local residents, craftsmen, artists and vendors to pull out all the stops in an effort to make up for the losses we all have recently incurred. Perhaps, this year Andale owners, Karen and Vianney, spent more time and money on marketing and advertising....

Could be we all just needed a good excuse to get out and spend a nice day surrounded by our friends. Whatever the reason, this year, the streets were absolutely packed with vendors, shoppers and performers, all braving the hot sun and humidity to have a nice day downtown. 

I hung around with the girls at Coco's Cat Rescue for quite awhile and watched Laura work her magic with a batch of newborn kittens that had been dumped at the perrera. She fed, and cleaned and cared for them, all the while fielding questions about the organization, selling books and fetching stray balloons from trees! The CCR group had a good day and collected dozens of names of local people ready to welcome a new cat or kitten into their home. Coco's Cat Rescue will be holding their inaugural fundraiser on Saturday June 6 at The Luna Blue Hotel. Proceeds from the event will go toward the daily operating costs of the organization including food, medications, spay and neuter procedures among many other expenses. Coco's Cat Rescue is also instrumental in the regional catch/spay/release program in affect to control the feral cat population in Playa. Come join us at The Luna Blue and support this very worthy cause. 

There was such an assortment of vendors this year. Of course, the requisite yard sale items abounded but they were outnumbered this year by local artisans and craftsmen who came to show off and sell their wares. Handmade jewelry, glazed ceramics, bamboo furniture, homemade chutneys and jams, all natural bath and spa products, carved wooden bowls, decorative metalwork, gourd lamps, locally designed clothing items, imported items from Bali, India and Guatemala. The list of fascinating offerings went on and on, each booth or table more interesting than the next! 

Of course, no Andale Bazaar would be complete without the fabulous performers and this year was no exception! These drummers and the accompanying stilt walker and capoeira dancers thrilled the crowds! Click here for video of the performance! 

This year's bazaar was a rousing success and I feel like it has helped to mark a definitive end to the "swine flu disaster". Everyone was in good spirits and enjoying each other’s company. If there is a slump in our local economy you certainly couldn't see it today. Thanks to Karen and Vianney for making the effort to put this together every year. The Andale Bazaar like Andale Magazine has now become ingrained in the Playa del Carmen community. Bravo! 

Michele Kinnon lives in Playa del Carmen with her husband Rob and their three children. She writes a local interest blog, www.LifesaBeachBlog.com , about living in Playa del Carmen, raising and educating children in Mexico, regional community concerns and issues, and local real estate opportunities. She and her husband are the principal Buyer Brokers for BRIC International, catering to the needs of residential buyers and investors from the United States and Canada. For more information, visit their website www.BuyPlaya.com .

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