Culture of El Hatillo

In May 2005, the local government collaborated with the Japanese Embassy to organize Japan Cultural Week, an exposition held in the Art Center featuring bonsai, origami, kimonos, martial arts, anime and other manifestations of the Japanese culture. The event offered free workshops for learning these Japanese arts. Continuing cultural promotion in the municipality, the III Salón de Fotografía El Hatillo—a photography contest for children, amateur and professional photographers—was organized in October 2005.

Cuisine

The cuisine industry in El Hatillo has grown along with the commercial development of the municipality. A September 2006 article in Estampas—a weekly Venezuelan magazine— described the culinary arts of El Hatillo, noting that El Hatillo offers the usual Venezuelan table, as well as new gastronomic developments. The TV chef Yuraima Blanco opened the Culinary Art Gallery in El Hatillo, where diners can enjoy a variety of food. There are also typical cachapa restaurants and cafés, as well as other restaurants with a fusion of foreign and national food. According to Estampas, a well-known local restaurant called "Mauricio's" mixes Swiss and French food with Caribbean gastronomy. El Hatillo also offers many varieties of confectionery, such as churros, pastry and ice cream. There are a variety of other restaurants in El Hatillo, offering such diverse cuisine as German and Thai food.

Sports

Lagunita Country Club is one of the most important sports facilities in the municipality. The club offers tennis and swimming, but it is best known for its golf course, the home of the 1974 WGC-World Cup. Designed by Dick Wilson, the club began with temporary