Artisans From Yucatan Peninsula and Central America Showcase Crafts at Playa del Carmen Forum

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Artisans from across the Yucatan Peninsula, southern Mexico and Central America gathered in Playa del Carmen this week for the opening of the 2026 Forum of Peninsular Crafts and Maya Culture, an event led by Quintana Roo Economic Development Secretary Paul Carrillo in coordination with the municipal government.

The forum brings together 118 participants: 90 artisans from nine municipalities in Quintana Roo and 28 invited guests from Campeche, Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatan, Belize and Guatemala. Organizers described the lineup as a showcase of the region’s craft heritage.

Disciplines on display include embroidery, hammock weaving, wood carving, pottery, backstrap-loom textiles and work with plant fibers, along with other traditional techniques that form part of the cultural patrimony of Maya communities.

Speaking at the opening, Carrillo said the event was designed to create spaces that recognize artisans’ talent and help preserve knowledge handed down from generation to generation. Promoting craft production, he said, “means strengthening our roots, recognizing the work of our communities and opening new opportunities for their creations to reach more markets.”

The program includes keynote lectures, specialized presentations and five demonstration workshops led by master artisans. Topics include protecting handmade goods from industrial imitation, design, competitiveness and the preservation of traditional knowledge.

Events are being held at the Aloft hotel from November 11 to 13 and at Parque Fundadores from November 11 to 15, starting at 10 a.m. Admission is free.

This is the first time the forum has been held in Quintana Roo, following earlier editions in Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas. It is organized by the state Economic Development Secretariat through its craft promotion office, which said most of the participating artisans are women from Maya communities.