Sandals showcases handmade Saint Lucian goods in pre-Christmas event

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here was a tremendous response this weekend to Handmade Saint Lucia, an event put on by the Sandals Golf and Country Club to allow local artisans to display and sell their goods.

In only its second year, the event was hailed as a great success by the forty-three local artisans who took part.

Although relatively new to Saint Lucia, Handmade Saint Lucia is already beginning to hold its own as a vibrant Christmas hangout and a one stop shop for original Christmas gift items. This event is designed specifically to provide a forum where shoppers can meet local artisans to mingle and exchange ideas.

To the delight of all the shoppers who turned out, a variety of hand made goods were on display including sandals, elegant casual wear, craft items, body massage treatments and many others. The Sandals Saint Lucia Golf & Country Club was transformed into a veritable marketplace once the booths were fully decorated.

As the evening drew to a close, the Artisans were of one voice, each echoing the sentiment that the activity must be included on the calendar for Christmas 2019. Well known designer Lyn Bristol said “same time next year… better than this time around.”

For patrons who came out just for a lime or to support family and friends, many described the mood as “exciting.”

Simone Skinner, General Manager of the Sandals Saint Lucia Golf & Country Club sees this as a platform for small entrepreneurs. Skinner: “This is the contribution that Sandals can make to building the economy, one Artisan at a time. If we can provide an avenue for them to showcase their work and build an audience, then we would have helped to grow the sector. Just as the Artisans, we look forward to putting on an even more impactful show come December 2019.”