Last Sunday, I was at the Ipanema Hippie Market in Rio de Janeiro. The Hippie Fair has been a tradition since 1968 and one of the must-see attractions in Rio. You will also find many locals strolling through the Praca Gal (main square in Ipanema), shopping for gifts and everyday use items at the artisanal fair.
The fair is an exhibition of almost a hundred shops set up in booth, selling goods from different parts of Brazil and all over the world. Here you will find handicrafts, innovate creations made with recycled items, furniture, cotton clothes, shoes, belts, leather bags, souvenirs, jewelry and much more. Artists proudly display paintings, carvings and original items. Additionally, you will also find imports from near and far. There are products imported by the hippies from the Amazon, India, north Africa, Middle East and China.
Here are some of the more interesting finds I saw at the fair…
At each of the four corners of the square is a refreshment stall where you can purchase snacks and sweets native to northern Brazil area of Bahia. Definitely try Vatapa, made from bread, shrimp, coconut milk, peanuts and palm oil and mashed into a creamy paste.
The fair is open from 7:00 to 19:00 every Sunday. Even if you are not planning to visit Rio soon, you can also take a virtual tour through the fair.
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I’ve been to the Hippie Fair twice. My favorite place is a stall operated by Edilson Carvalho. He has the finest quality leather items with hand-crafted brass inset with stones such as amethyst and topaz. The prices seem high compared to items at other stalls, but this is the work of a master craftsman where you will be able to buy unique, one-of-a-kind goods – from handbags to belts to jewelry. Edilson has even started putting his designs on the famous Haviana flip flops. Be sure not to miss him if you go to the Hippie Fair.