The Aragon Craft Fair, a pre-Christmas event held for nearly four decades in the multi-purpose hall of Zaragoza Hall, is changing its location this year and shortening its opening days. According to the artisans themselves, the reason is the withdrawal of support by the Aragon government, which has generated “confusion and discontent” in the sector. Vice President of the regional government, Mar Vaquero, admitted in Cortes Aragon that there had been an “accident” in financing due to the budget extension and confirmed that the 2026 budget includes allocations for artisans.
The Artisans Association has not issued any statements on the issue, although its president admitted last week that the change in format was due to “budget problems,” according to the Heraldo de Aragon newspaper. This year, only 35 artisans will participate in the exhibition, which will be moved to the Chamber of Commerce, compared to 70 artisans who participated last year in the Zaragoza hall. “There is no clean path, you reach a hallway with no exit, everything is full of pillars, and there is half of us,” explains one of the craftsmen who will attend the exhibition. Moreover, he deplores the high prices: “I usually pay about 400 euros or so in the hall for a ten-day exhibition. This year I paid 600 euros for registration and it only took five days.”
He reveals the “devastation” that this represents for the sector, because this fair is very important in terms of the turnover of the community’s craftsmen: “For us, this fair is very important, as it supports many months of work in the workshop.” He adds that it was not easy to fill the void with 35 positions, because many colleagues did not want to attend the exhibition.
He also denounced the support by the administration: “We have always taken over the fair with the help of the General Directorate of Antiquities, which helped us and had an opinion. This year they told us that there was no budget, and they left us half the support for the entire craft center, which is not just the fair, it is classes for schools, exhibitions, workshops for adults… Two people have been appointed to organize it. They have taken the “Aragon Excellence” brand out of their sleeves. We have taken our budget and we are at a loss.
He adds that the increase in municipal fees has also made participation difficult: “The city council raised the hall fees and the General Directorate of Antiquities did not help us. They would charge us more than 1,000 euros per stand. We are always fighting: this city does not want its craftsmen. In other autonomous communities we participate for free; here it is too expensive for us. They will be able to destroy the crafts in Aragon. The Zaragoza fair ends if there is no help, and the sector cannot pay that.” a lot.”
The regional executive confirms that support for artisans is being implemented and that “more aid is in progress.” Among these stalls, four stand out at the Labordeta Park Gourmet market, where eight artisans will sell their products for more than a month, with a funding of 20 thousand euros and another 15 thousand euros for entertainment.
Mar Vaquero stressed the importance of the sector in the Cortes of Aragon: “Trade and crafts are essential not only from an economic point of view but also from a regional and cultural point of view. In Aragon there are 226 craft companies and 242 registered professionals.” The Vice President emphasized that the budget extension has complicated financing, but support continues and is expected to improve in the 2026 budgets. In addition, she announced the signing of an agreement with the City Council so that the cost of the Pilar and Christmas Fairs will be lower for artisans.
The Aragon government confirms that it will maintain its cooperation with the Professional Association of Artisans of Aragon, although the budget extension has prevented the implementation of some nominal subsidies. In recent days, the Executive has introduced the new quality label for regional crafts, “Aragón a Mano”, which aims to professionalize the recognized crafts of Aragon and ensure that its products meet quality standards and authentic artisanal techniques. This initiative is part of the MIMA (Modernization, Innovation and Improvement of Competitiveness of Aragonese Crafts) programme, which has received funding of more than €294,000 through the Cameral Competitiveness Plan. However, sources in the sector express their astonishment at the establishment of this brand “with only three or four craftsmen” while “they take half of what they were offering.”
The cost of the Aragon Craft Fair is 1 euro, with free entry for pensioners, children under 12 years of age and people with a disability equal to or greater than 50%. Working hours will be from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. And from 5:00 p.m. Until 9:00 pm