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Petar Petrov, the winner in the Craftsmen's competition in 2018, invited the other participants in the competition to join the "Stonemasonry" bazaar exhibition with their sculptures. The exhibition was opened on the 17^th of August on the verandah of the house with tannery workshop at "Etar" museum.

Petar Petrov says that he does not begin to create with preliminary attitude. The very stone suggests to him what to make out of it. He prefers stone pieces of irregular form. He says that the best of his sculptures he has made of imperfect stones. Petar Petrov has realized that there is lots of energy in the rock that fills it with life.

For more than 23 years the sculpture of an eagle, ready to fly at the glimpse of prey, has remained unfinished by him. In the spring of 2019, provoked by his participation in the "Stonemasonry" bazaar exhibition, he has returned to this eagle again and the results are impressive.

The stonemason makes a donation to "Etar" museum – a stone slab with the image of St. George, engraved on it. As a real artist, Petar Petrov does not harm the stone. He strives for a minimal interference and to preserve as many of the natural forms and colours as possible. For him the stone is a way to immortalize a story, a moment among million of years.

Ivan Simeonov, who recently graduated from the only one on the Balkans school in stonemasonry in the village of Kunino and who was the winner in the last year's Youth section at the Craftsmen's competition, takes also part with his works in the bazaar exhibition.

At this exhibition you can see and sculptures by Rumen Barfonchovski, a graduate of the same school, by Elin Georgiev from Aksakovo, by Tsvetelina Angelova from Plovdiv, by Petar Krastev from Roman.

For the first time representatives of UNESCO Creative Cities Network join the International Fair of Traditional Crafts. Gabrovo has joined the Creative Cities Network in 2017. Florianopolis (Brazil), Aswan (Egypt) and Weifang (China) are the cities from which three artists come to share with the visitors of Fair a small part of the cultural heritage of their countries.

Thiago Furtado is a visual artist, well known in the art society of his country as Valdi. He was born on the Brazilian island Florianopolis and has been engaged in graffiti since 2006.
The ocean is his main source of inspiration and the sensual feminine figures in his works expresses the beauty and admiration that the artist has for the uncontrollable forces of the ocean.

Raghda Hesham is from Aswan (Egypt). She makes jewels and accessories. During the Fair she will demonstrate how to make necklaces and bracelets out of natural stones and beads. Besides her skills Raghda Hesham will present in front of the visitors of the event and articles from other women craftsmen from Aswan: Nubian plates, mats, fans, made of natural materials, traditional hats, etc.

Wang Yongxun is from Weifang (China). He is a master of kites and president of Weifang Tiancheng Feiyuan Kite Co., Ltd.
The city of Weifang has been announced as the world capital of kites. It hosts the annual Weifang International Kite Festival, which first edition was in 1984. It is held on the 20^th of April and attracts tourists from all over the world. During the Fair Wang Yongxun will have a workshop for making of kites. Don't miss to stop by his tent.

More than 30 foreign artisans from 16 countries will present in front of the guests of the Fair preserved traditional techniques and the contemporary condition of the crafts in their countries. Among them there are such craftsmen with notable apprenticeship as Fehmi Vejsa from Kosovo. He is 71 years old harness-maker who has started as an apprentice at the age of 10. There are nationally recognized specialists as the potter Lаila Adam who is a lecturer at the Technological College of Fine and Applied Arts in Sudan and Tamara Koreva from Russia who is a chief artist in the Semenov factory for Russian dolls. There are craftsmen who present crafts, characteristic of their country as Vankar Bhimji Kanji from India who weaves cloths in traditional Indian "kutchi" technique and Lesya Trifonova who will demonstrate in front of the visitors of the Fair traditional Ukrainian painting of eggs.

The craft of pottery was selected for the Craftsman Competition which will be held in 2019 during the ХVІІ International Fair of Traditional Crafts at Etar EOM. The selection was made at a meeting of the Operations Bureau lined up with persons and organizations engaged in the preservation of the Bulgarian cultural heritage.

So far in the history of the Fair, this craft has been selected for the Craftsman Competition twice—in 2008 and in 2014.