International handicrafts will be on display this weekend

Port Chester Fest took over the Port Chester Marina parking lot with all kinds of ethnic entertainment, vendors and foods representing the village’s diverse population on a spring weekend for many years. This weekend another parking lot will be the scene of Port Chester’s first Cultural Handicraft Weekend.

The underutilized parking lot at 130 Midland Ave. will be filled with small tents on Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 26 and 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. About 45 vendors from the tri-state area have signed up to display their handicrafts from Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and other Latin countries. They will spread out in front of the long-gone Key Food store and throughout the parking lot. The new Port Chester-based arts collective Ice Cream Social will also participate.

A DJ will enliven the atmosphere.

The event was the brainchild of Port Chester resident Delailah Cabrera, who has been involved in other activities and community events, according to Alex Payan, Port Chester trustee and founder of the non-profit Port Chester Community Gardens.

“These are vendors that have been impacted by the pandemic,” said Payan. “She (Cabrera) wanted to raise awareness of the arts and craftsmanship internationally.”

Payan suggested the location. It’s where Port Chester Community Gardens does its food distribution. He spoke to The Renatus Group, which owns the property, and they said OK.

So the event is being sponsored by Cabrera, The Renatus Group and Port Chester Community Gardens.

“It is advertised throughout the tri-state area,” said Payan. “One of the goals is to support the local economy” by encouraging attendees to have lunch or dinner in Port Chester.

Payan concluded that this cultural weekend will be a great event. “I’m very excited about this,” he said.