Hutzot Hayotzer – Jerusalem Arts & Crafts Fair Review – IsraelInsideOut is pleased to post this guest blog from one of our regular readers (CS).
The International Jerusalem Arts and Crafts Fair, also known as Hutzot Hayotzer (which can be translated as “the creator steps out”; it can be spelled as Khutsot HaYotzer or Chutzot HaYotzer) is an annual outdoor arts and crafts festival. It is, no doubt, one of the highlights in Jerusalem’s summer scene, if not the entire year.
In this festival, dozens of artists converge to showcase their arts and crafts creations and sell them, allowing thousands of visitors to experience what the arts scene in Jerusalem (if not the entire Israel) has to offer.
The event is regularly held at Sultan’s Pool, which is situated on the west side of Mount Zion. The choice of venue is quite unique because Sultan’s Pool is an ancient water basin which goes dry during the summer, providing a vast empty space that’s ideal for holding concerts, festivals, etc.
Visitors and passers-by stroll from stall to stall, viewing and purchasing local and international artisan’s creations ranging from the usual paintings to timepieces to hammocks. The festival also includes live concerts, dance numbers, as well as workshops and food and drink stands.
This Hutzot Hayotzer is amazingly well organized with lots of people and lots of things to do. Visitors are guaranteed a great time at the festival.
Hutzot Hayotzer is incredibly popular, so much so that there were really too many people early in the evening until the main show started. Once it started and everyone went into main show we had time and space to move around and visit the stalls and to move around.
We recommend the wonderful kids show in the kids zone. The Hutzot Hayotzer program means that everyday there is something new – the shows start at 2000. In the same area is a special cafe – a 19th Century Artists’ cafe with amazing food, and wonderful snippets of entertainment – music, gymnastics, juggling, miming – you have to be lucky or patient to get a seat and when you leave someone will be sure to grab it – one could have spent their whole evening here!
Make sure that you catch the puppets from Argentina, the flower gold from Brazil, the drums from Ghana with the guys who love to entertain.
If you are in Jerusalem this summer we recommend that you visit Hutzot Hayotzer – if not plan to be in Jerusalem next August for the next Hutzot Hayotzer – Jerusalem Arts & Crafts Fair.
Are you in Jerusalem? – Check out other Summer Events in Jerusalem
Thanks to CS for this review – feel free to send us material either by email to IsraelInsideOut or by posting in our IsraelInsideOut Forum.