If you think I have finally gotten off my butt and left Buenos Aires, you would be wrong.
A lesser-known attraction on the very edge of Buenos Aires is La Feria de Mataderos. I had read that you could get an authentic taste of the campo (aka country) at this festival. After several weeks of city life, I was ready for a little taste of the country.
It seemed a little kitsch, but I certainly would not call it touristy. Most people there were Argentine.
So what can you do at the Feria de Mataderos?
Buy Cowboy Stuff
Of course there were vendors set up selling their wares. After all, this is a street fair. But I noticed that the quality was different from the crap I see peddled at Plaza Dorrego or outside the Recoleta Cemetery. (Sorry, if you bought something there). I don’t think I saw a single booth selling cheesy, cheaply-made trinkets.
who doesn’t need a knife with a handle made from a wrench?
who doesn’t need a bottle made from a hoof?
Buy Specialty Foods
cheese, fiambres, and bread – the staple of every argentine diet
they have finally gone too far
an ice cream cone filled with dulce de leche
Music and Dancing
The stage with live music seemed to be the most popular part of the fair. The bands are all Argentine and play traditional music. It seemed that locals who truly enjoy the traditional dances just show up and dance.
Eat Grilled Meat
What event in Buenos Aires would be complete without grilled meat?
Caballos and Gauchos
My favorite part of the afternoon was watching the gauchos (cowboys) and caballos (horses) competition. I have no idea what this game is called. (My Google search of the terms horse, equestrian, competition, metal, ring yielded no answers.) Basically, a cowboy rides a horse as fast as possible for about 70 meters to build up speed and then tries to stick a metal pin through a tiny metal ring hanging from a bar.
Bonus points for anyone who actually knows what this competition is called.
I was surprised how many of the gauchos were successful at this event
My favorite competitor
he couldn’t have been more than 12 years old
So I got a taste of the campo without leaving the city limits. One day soon, I will see the real thing.
The Verdict
Probably not worth your Sunday afternoon if you are visiting Buenos Aires for a short vacation. If you are staying longer or living here and like horses, cowboys, grilled meat, and people dancing in funny outfits, check it out.
Tips
– Bar Oviedo is right in the middle of the street fair. This is one of the bares notables in Buenos Aires, so you should pop in and check it out.
– There were several restaurants surrounding the street fair. The food looked delicious and the prices were reasonable. A good option if you prefer a sit-down meal as opposed to eating a choripan while walking through the crowd.
I think it’s called “La Carrera de Sortija”
Sebastian recently posted..Culture shock when traveling
It’s called La Carrera de Sortija. Its a creole game brought to Argentina by the spanish.
Interesting post. I might be in BA in August I’ll definitely going to write this place down and will try to go there! Sounds nice!
Sebastian recently posted..Culture shock when traveling
I am impressed! Thanks for letting me know.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Horses- Cowboys- and Grilled Meat – Oh My!
Such fun, bright photos. You’re off for the pampas next then?
Still deciding. The challenge is the weather… it’s almost Winter here now.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Horses- Cowboys- and Grilled Meat – Oh My!
You were really smart to go to something local and so colorful and interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Jan Ross recently posted..Sushi Bar on Carnival Liberty
I have to say this looked really fun to me! The food and competition would be the highlight. Very interesting way to spend an afternoon in the midst of the culture of BA!
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Mystery Picture Take 2!
It was nice to see something so different without having to travel too far.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Horses- Cowboys- and Grilled Meat – Oh My!
Weirdest. knife. ever. But maybe it’s really practical? The food and competition look awesome, though!
Christy @ Technosyncratic recently posted..Photo Essay- The Oregon Coast
I should have bought it. There have been so many times when I thought, “If only I had a knife AND a wrench right now.” 😉
The Travel Chica recently posted..Horses- Cowboys- and Grilled Meat – Oh My!
OMG… I would have been eating so much Carne and Dulce de Leche cones! Feria de Mataderos looks like a very lively and fun festival. Would love to experience it at some point.
Norbert recently posted..A Motorcycle Adventure from Buenos Aires to Cordoba
I can handle lots of carne, but I think I would get sick if I ate a dulce de leche cone. Too sweet for me!
The Travel Chica recently posted..Horses- Cowboys- and Grilled Meat – Oh My!
This is the kind of place I love hearing about, off the beaten track. Love it.
I agree it might not be worth a visit for a short stay but what could be more Argentinian than meat and cowboys?!
Jeremy B recently posted..Budget travel deals of the week May 31 – Summer deals- airline discounts- Lake Tahoe- Napa Valley
Exactly!
The Travel Chica recently posted..Horses- Cowboys- and Grilled Meat – Oh My!
Yes, that bottle on a hoof is truly awesome. I bought a mate gourd in a hoof which is pretty cool, but that whole bottle is awesome!
The meat looks incredible.
Mark Wiens recently posted..101 Things to Do in Bangkok
I still cannot figure out what it’s true purpose is…. I mean, is it supposed to insulate the liquid you put in the bottle in some way? I have a feeling it’s just for the shock value
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Day Cruella Put Me Out on the Street
Wow! These Hoof bottles are really amazing! I can say one of the unique stuff I have seen. The Cowboy stuff is also attractive. the ice cream seems yummy. Last but not the least your favorite competitor has become my favorite too! Blogs seem interesting to me and cant stop speaking my mind on your board. Thanks for sharing! Would like to come here time and again for more updates! Great Job!
Beautiful and colorful pics, Stephanie. I learned today that nothing is sacred anymore….hoof bottle? Yikes!
Renee recently posted..Inspired Traveler 15 – Jay Jackson
How is Buenos Aires? Some have said it is dangerous and have been mugged. How does one stay safe?
eileen ludwig recently posted..Fort Lauderdale Beach Great American Beach Party
Buenos Aires is actually the only capital city I have felt safe in so far in Latin America. It’s a big city, so you have to be careful of the usual big city crime. Yes, people get robbed. But it is usually not violent, and you give them the money you have on you. Just like the rest of Latin America, I never carry around my ATM or credit cards, passport, or loads of cash.
I hope I have not jinxed myself and end up getting robbed now
The Travel Chica recently posted..Saying Goodbye
The hoof bottle freaks me out… everything else looks and sounds great!
Scott – Quirky Travel Guy recently posted..Quirky Attraction- Mrs Butterworth Julia Grant statue
I couldn’t bring myself to buy one, even as a gag gift for friends back home.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Take Off Your Shirt and Don’t Mind the Suction Cups
Those ice cream cones filled with dulce de leche are soo good! Had way too many of them during our time in South America!
Jozef @ Where Now recently posted..Rangiteiki- Raftabout
I don’t know how you could do it! It is just soooo much sugar. I like a little bit as part of a dessert, but there is no such thing as a little bit of dulce de leche in Buenos Aires.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Take Off Your Shirt and Don’t Mind the Suction Cups
Did this exact same thing when I was there. Loved it! Well all but the blood sausage that I almost ate
I haven’t met anyone that’s actually been to this. Impressive!
The Travel Chica recently posted..Take Off Your Shirt and Don’t Mind the Suction Cups
Oh, man! I would’ve loved to go to that with you. Great shot of the meat grilling in the sun — yum!!
Abby recently posted..I’m an Expat- and I’m the “…” Guy
There was a giant cloud of smoke hovering over the whole fair because of all the grilling going on.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Learning to Cook in Buenos Aires
Wow ..Its great ..Food looks tasty too .. This is my first encounter on your website ..
Sheril Benedict recently posted..501 Must Visit Cities
Ice cream cones without ice cream are just a disgrace.
Rease recently posted..‘We need to evacuate you from your house’
Agreed. Just put dulce de leche in a bowl and eat it with a spoon. Let’s face it. When you’re eating that much dulce de leche in one sitting, you are not really looking for the taste of the cone.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Learning to Cook in Buenos Aires
Looks like a fun festival. Those sausages look tasty.
Jason
Jason recently posted..Swimming With Blind Pink River Dolphins
They were pretty good. It’s hard for me to judge though because I was freaking starving by the time we got there.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Learning to Cook in Buenos Aires
How funny
When I first read the title I thought wait a minute, did she make it all the way up to Texas for the weekend or something?! I never knew that there were so many Argentine cowboys! The hoof bottles are kind of gross I think… no?
Sabrina recently posted..The Big Texan in Amarillo – A 72 Ounce Steak Anybody
Oh yeah. “Gaucho” culture is big here. I cannot wait until I start traveling around the country and get into the more rural areas where you get to see that tradition. But I’ll settle for a Sunday fair in Buenos Aires for now
The Travel Chica recently posted..Learning to Cook in Buenos Aires
Sounds like fun
I’m looking forward to the true gaucho posts when you start traveling around 
Sabrina recently posted..The Big Texan in Amarillo – A 72 Ounce Steak Anybody
Sounds like you found the authentic BA, I much prefer places like this over the usual tourist guff in the city centres.
ryan recently posted..Deacon Brodie’s Tavern
It’s funny, but I grew up in the South, where you’d think I’d have my share of cowboy paraphernalia, then spent my summers in college working on a dude ranch in Arizona, but it wasn’t until my mid-20s while visiting Austin that I bought my first pair of cowboy boots and this summer in Jackson Hole when I finally saw my first real rodeo! I think I’d LOVE this festival.
Camels & Chocolate recently posted..Faster, Higher, Stronger