THE FREE FAIR AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE URBAN DYNAMICS OF THE CITY OF CRUZETA-RN
Open-air Market. Urban dynamics. Cruzeta
Open-air markets, materialized in space as commercial forms of socioeconomic and cultural character, are an important source of income for small family farmers and local artisans and have been undergoing a series of modifications over the years due to the advancement of an increasingly globalized economy. This is the case of the open-air market in the city of Cruzeta, located in the intermediate region of Caicó, one of the three major geographical regions of Rio Grande do Norte. Thus, this dissertation aims to reflect on the open-air market and its contributions to the urban dynamics of the city of Cruzeta - RN. To this end, the methodology adopted for the present study was developed based on exploratory and descriptive research, carried out through a literature review. In order to fulfill the proposed objectives and better understand the object of study, the research was based on qualitative methods, through ethnographic description and field research for data collection, both primary and secondary. From the reflections on the open-air market in Cruzeta and its contributions to urban dynamics, it was possible to verify that, for smaller cities, the market becomes very important as it guarantees the commercialization of family production, small agribusiness, and artisanal products. From the analysis of the collected data, it was possible to identify the promotion of the local economy through the open-air market, as it is an important space for commercialization, generating jobs and income, strengthening the municipality's economy. Finally, the open-air market in Cruzeta plays a fundamental role in the urban dynamics of the city, contributing to the economy, culture, health, and quality of life of its inhabitants.