Dec. 2

The group was nominated to a Latin Grammy in 2002.

Tropical-music enthusiasts will have a "blast" with Orquesta Aragón, one of Cuba’s most prestigious ensembles. The performance will take place on Friday, December 2, at Hotel Plaza Paitilla Inn, at 9:00 p.m.

Orquesta Aragón’s long string of successes started in 1939 in the city of Cienfuegos. Founded by Loyola and Orestes Aragón, the group became an international sensation in during the 1950’s, when it traveled to Panama, Venezuela, Guatemala and the United States. The popularity of the group was such that by 1978, it was able to gather thousands of fans at Palacio del Deporte and Teatro Margo in Mexico City. Orquesta Aragón has performed in over 60 countries and has recorded 500 songs in 75 albums.

Tickets cost $25.00 (pre-sale) and $30.00 on the night of the event. For reservations, call: 208-0600.

Famous Salsa music star Willie Colón will offer a concert on Wednesday, December 7 at Figali Convention Center, in Amador.

Born in the Bronx, New York on 28 April 1950 Willy Colón is one of the creators of modern Salsa –perhaps the most popular tropical music genre in Latin America. . A talented trombonist, Colón has sung, written and produced hits along with Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz and Panamanian-born Rubén Blades.

His first album, recorded at age 17, sold over 300,000 copies, launching a career that has led him to win fifteen gold records, five platinum records and 11 Latin Grammy Award nominations. In September 2004, Colón received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He is also a tireless activist, working on a number of political, human rights, immigration, and environmental issues.

For tickets and more information, call: 314-1414.

Over 100,000 people are expected to see the parade along the route.

Juan Carlos Navarro, Mayor of Panama City, is leading the final preparations for this year’s Christmas Parade, scheduled for Sunday, December 11 at 3:30 p.m.

More than 20 marching bands and dozens of floats, choirs, elves, clowns and Santas of all sizes will march along Calle 50 in the banking district along a five-kilometer route starting on Avenida Balboa and ending near Vía Porras. As usual, the guests of honor of the parade are thousands of honor roll students of underprivileged extraction, many brought in from the interior provinces in bus loads, and lodged by local families, who will host a party for them at Parque Urracá, on Avenida Balboa, prior to the parade.

Panama City’s Christmas parade is a decade-old institution... a colorful, tropical fiesta where people of all ages and backgrounds intermingle for good-quality family entertainment.

Drivers need to take necessary precautions, as a number of major thoroughfares will be blocked as early as Saturday evening.

A list of famous, but yet-to-be-announced international stars will join local celebrities in raising thousands of dollars for this year’s 20-30 Telethon, scheduled December 16-17 at Atlapa Convention Center.

First held in 1981, the Telethon has become a regular part of Panama's December calendar. Its goal this year is to raise funds for a number of drug prevention, and cancer treatment programs (the Telethon has traditionally supported programs for the handicapped). The "symbol child" of the 2005 Telethon is Milagro Estela García de Paredes, a healthy five-year-old girl whose mother became the first cancer patient to give birth at Panama's National Cancer Hospital.

For more information, log on to the Telethon's web site: www.teleton.com

Visitors are invited to Camino al Pesebre (Road to the Manger), a Christmas theater-musical performance scheduled December 10, at Anayansi Theater of Atlapa Convention Center.

Organized by the Crossroads Bible Church and the Coro Unido choir, the play is recommended for all those who seek to rekindle the true spirit of Christmas.

Shows are at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost: $5.00, $10.00, and $15.00. For more information, call 317-9480, 317-9771 or send an e-mail to: cbcpanama@cwpanama.net

Part of the play's crew. From left to right: Robert Spratt, Alexanndra Bueno, Graciela Arango, Monique Sanchiz, and Stefano Alessi.

Theater enthusiasts are getting into the Christmas mood with the performance of Dan Googin's "Sor Cascanueces" (The Nun Cracker), which will run November 9-December 7.

Directed by Panamanian theater master Bruce Quinn, the cast of the play includes Any Tovar, Cristina de la Fuente, Janelle Davidson, Cheli de Boyd, Victoria Greco, Felix Gómez and a choir of six children.

Shows are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 4:00 p.m. For reservations and more information, call 261-5375 or 261-5259.

With regional fairs:

The trade winds and the "sun-and-beach mania" that take over Panama after the Christmas holidays, are followed by country fairs across the nation.Whereas some have gained international status, most of these fairs still retain the old, Hispanic traditions for which the Panamanian hinterland, locally known as "el interior", is known.

The first major regional fair of 2006, the Boquete Coffee and Flower Fair (Jan. 13-22) has become a major tourist attraction, attracting visitors in search of the rarest specimens of petunias, orchids, roses, lilies and many other species of all shapes, colors and sizes. The fair features flowers from countries such as France, the United States and South America. Coffee –an excellent beverage for Boquete's chilly evenings-- is also "king" during the fair, offering the best, export-quality beans and flavors at colorful stands throughout the fair grounds.

Well-known performers of tipico (Panamanian music) compete with international rock, pop and reggae stars at this and other festivals, such as the La Chorrera Fair (Jan 25-Feb 5), the Candelaria Fair in Bugaba, Chiriquí (Jan. 27-Feb.5) and the Veraguas Fair, in Soná (Feb. 15-20).

Country fairs are a mixture of innovation and deeply-rooted traditions.

Although authentic Panamanian folklore is a fundamental part of every festival during this season, two are specially recommended for their high quality of activities: the San Sebastián de Ocú Fair, in the province of Herrera (Jan. 19-23), and the Azuero International Fair, which closes the season April 20-May 1.

Most festivals take place in the "central provinces", the region encompassing the area west of the Canal and east of the Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro provinces, but the province of Colón also offers its Caribbean-accented fair during the upcoming season (March 29-April 8).

Regional festivals in Panama offer something for everyone: games, horserides, folklore performances, boat tours, food sampling, handicrafts. The list is endless.

First row, from left to right: Santiago Flemmnig, Cici Mayne, Benjamin Ashkenazi. Second row, same order: Aditi Behatty, Madison Jovane-Flynn, Halle Mayne, Alisha Bhatty, Sebastian Otway.

The Theatre Guild of Ancon, Panama´s only English-language theater organization, will close its 2005 season with the play, "Treasure Island". Written by Jim Spernick, the play is the story of Mary Forth, who, aided by 12 brave sailors, tries to prevent Long John Silver from stealig a long-lost treasure on Treasure Island.

The play will run December 3, 8, 9 and 10 at the play house located next to the PTJ police headquarters, in Ancón. Showsa are at 8:00 p.m., with matinees at 4:00 p.m. On Dec. 3 and 10. Tickets: $10.00.

For reservations, call: 212-0060.

The Mixturas chamber ensemble, a choral group of U.S. expats, and Panamanian soprano Indira Rodríguez will offer a concert entitled “Noche Buena en Boquete”, on December 17 at Boquete’s Iglesia San Juan Bautista at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $8.00 (adults) and $4.00 (children).

For details, send an e-mail to: promixturas@yahoo.com