San Telmo Fair Easter Sunday?

[Ries]

Most likely no guitars at the San Telmo market.
Used musical instruments on Sarimento, near Callao- there are a half dozen music stores selling new and used around there.
The San Telmo market is high end antiques and collectibles. Not cheap, but I wouldnt call it touristy, beyond the one guy who does Filete signs to order.
There is a booth or two of guacho stuff, too.
But by and large, its actual antiques, and usually pretty good ones at that- silver jewelry, vintage chanel handbags, good crystal, ceramics and silver, antique working rotary phones, siphon bottles, stuff like that.
Defensa, itself, is quite touristy- mimes and lots of knickkacks guaranteed to last at least as long as it takes to walk one block before they disintegrate.

For ordinary household goods, the flea markets at Parque Centenario, and at Parque de Los Andes, are better. Both are on Saturdays and Sundays, both have far fewer antique fountain pens or cut crystal vases, but either might have a guitar, you never know.

 

[trennod]

Plenty of locals head down to the San telmo fairs. The fairs are a part of Argentina culture, all around the country even in not so touristy areas. The great thing about San telmo is its the best and biggest there is. I have only been there probs 3 times but there some cool stuff there, always enjoy it

 

[Matiasba]

The massive ferias is a totally new phenomenon that started in the 90s when unemployment peaked 25%
there were a few, but were like the 5% of the size they have now. Then they multiplied for 100 with the crisis, the trueque, etc, and we now have a feria in almost every plaza...

I like them, not a fan, but I like to go sometime to watch what treasures they have.

 

[saraleviathan]

Oh, I know it's cheap and touristy. I want to pick up a few trinkets for friends, and an alpaca sweater like the one I saw when I went for the first time months ago.

 

[DerAchtundzwanzig]

Plenty of locals head down to the San telmo fairs. The fairs are a part of Argentina culture, all around the country even in not so touristy areas. The great thing about San telmo is its the best and biggest there is. I have only been there probs 3 times but there some cool stuff there, always enjoy it

You're right - locals go to ferias. But San Telmo is indeed very, very touristy. Up until 2002 or so the fair was only around Plaza Dorrego, and now it has spread to Defensa Street all the way from San Juan to Belgrano, and beyond! And it was just an antiques or crafts fair, you didn't find any of the "made in China" crap they sell now. Also, up until 2001/2002 San Telmo was a sh**hole and no one wanted to live there, except for bohemians or starving artists/writers/etc. who had to live in residencias because their parents had kicked them out.

 

[Yogur griego]

Also, up until 2001/2002 San Telmo was a sh**hole and no one wanted to live there, except for bohemians or starving artists/writers/etc. who had to live in residencias because their parents had kicked them out.

I am glad it hasn't turned into an extension of La Boca. I prefer the touristy ambience in a way safer San Telmo over the Congolese circumstances you encounter as soon as you cross into Avenida Almirante Brown.

 

[Ries]

I have been in San Telmo on a sunday morning when a cruise ship is in town, and 200 or more tourists descend. And, as far as I could tell, not a single one of em bought a flattened Quilmes Bottle.
If you mean tourists from Cordoba, sure.

But the wealthy americans and europeans that are spending ten grand or more on a cruise, or are staying at the Alvear Palace, are NOT buying hand tooled leather punk wristbands or ceramic bongs or flattened copper telephone wire made into hippie earrings.
The vast majority of stuff sold on blankets spread on Defensa is strictly for local consumption.

 

[DerAchtundzwanzig]

I have been in San Telmo on a sunday morning when a cruise ship is in town, and 200 or more tourists descend. And, as far as I could tell, not a single one of em bought a flattened Quilmes Bottle.
If you mean tourists from Cordoba, sure.

But the wealthy americans and europeans that are spending ten grand or more on a cruise, or are staying at the Alvear Palace, are NOT buying hand tooled leather punk wristbands or ceramic bongs or flattened copper telephone wire made into hippie earrings.
The vast majority of stuff sold on blankets spread on Defensa is strictly for local consumption.

So, let me get it: you're saying that the only 2 "species" you may encounter in Buenos Aires are either locals who love to spend their Sundays buying flattened Quilmes bottles, OR tourists who stay at the Alvear Palace and don't know what to do with their dollars? You don't go out much, do you?