Coming Events

Calendar of Events

Concerts

Jan 24 – 25, 2008
Concerts of the 5th Jazz Festival, at the Atlapa Convention Center at 7 p.m. Tickets on sale at Blockbuster. Information:
www.panamajazzfestival.com

Jan 25, 2008
Family concert of the 5th Jazz Festival at the Atlapa Convention Center from 12 noon to 5pm. Buy $5 tickets at the entrance. Information:
www.panamajazzfestival.com

Jan 26, 2008
Free concert of the 5th Jazz Festival, at the Cathedral Plaza of Casco Viejo. Information:
www.panamajazzfestival.com

Theater Performances

Through Jan 27
All the childrens' story characters unite in a production about the happiness of childhood. At Aba Theatre, $5, call 260-6316.

Cine Universitario

Showings at 4:00 / 6:00 / 8:00 pm at The University of Panama

Friday January 25, 2008

Bolivar I Am (Colombia / France, 2002) An actor who plays Latinamerican hero Simon Bolivar gets so into the role that he will not give it up and begins to lead the life of "The Liberator". A dark, humorous look at the cruel and marvelous world of Latinamercia.

Saturday January 26 – Monday 28, 2008
Nueba Yol (Dominican Republic, 1995) An illegal man in the Big Apple is looking for fast success but is hit with the bitter reality padded by humor. The film was a Dominican blockbuster.

Tuesday January 29 – Thursday 31, 2008
The Century of Wind (Argentina / Uruguay / France / Germany / Spain, 1999) A documentary that weaves reality and fiction throughout 20th Century Latinamerican history.

Friday Febuary 1 – 6 Closed for Carnival.

Thursday Febuary 7 – Saturday 9, 2008
Le Amiche "Friends" (Italy, 1955) A woman finds another woman passed out in a hotel and starts to run with the bad girls.

Art

Permanent Exhibition
The artist Jean Francois Provost exhibits his work at Weil Art gallery located in 48 Street, Bella Vista (beneath Eurasia). Pieces change every month.
Information: 264-9697

Jan 16 – 31
Igor Kourany's photographic exhibit at Arlene Lachman Gallery. Information: 264-5257; galachman@cwpanama.net
galachman@cwpanama.net

Fairs

Jan 26, 2008
Homemade Desserts Fair of San Francisco de la Montaña, province de Veraguas. Information: 526-7000

Jan 25 – Feb. 3, 2008
Fair of Candelaria, Bugaba, province of Chiriqui. Information: 526-7000

February 2-3: The Great West Indian Fair at the West Indian Museum, Panama City
February 13 – 18: Sona Fair, Veraguas Province
February 28 - March 2: The Santa Fe Fair, Darien Province
March 6 – 16: The San Jose International Fair in David, Chiriqui Province

Folklore shows

Folklore shows from all regions of Panama at Restaurante Tinajas, every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 9:00 p.m. Located on Calle 51, Bella Vista. Call: 263-7890.

Colorful folklore shows at Restaurante "Al Tambor de la Alegría", located at Brisas de Amador, every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 9:00 p.m. admission: $10.00 per person. Call: 314-3380.

Horse Races

Races on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at Presidente Remón race track. Call 217-6060.

Sport

Jan. 26 & 27
First round of national surf qualifications, in Bocas del Toro. Call Tuti de Leòn for more info at 217-7975 or write tuti@modasydeportes.com.

Expat Events

(English only)
Information: expatexplorers@expatsinpanama.com; admin@expatsinpanama.com

Jan. 27, 2008
English Literature book exchange at Siciliano's Restaurant, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bring your English literature to trade on a one for one basis.

Every Tuesday

Learn and/or Play Bridge at Siciliano's Restaurant from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The Second Friday of Every Month 8:00 pm, different venues
The Expat Party – business networking and good times.

More Expat events will be avialable in our next edition after the Carnival celebration.

Miscelaneous

Jan, 2008 11:00 am
Hair Extension Salon inaugu-aration. Plaza Rio, Parque Lefevre, behind Burger King at 87th Street. 6467-8805. $10 discount.

Feb. 5, 2008 10:00 pm
Course " The Art of Living" to teach techniques for handling stress and negative emotions at Fundacion El Arte de Vivir, Calle 67E, San Francisco #30. For more information, call 226-5139/9541.

Feb. 17, 2007
Flea Market in San Felipe in Casco Antiguo.

Open for submissions – Abierto para participar
Youth Photography Contest of Central America sponsored by the French Embassy and the French Alliance. Contact French Alliance in Managua, Nicaragua at alfmanag@cablenet.com.ni or cultural@alianzafrancesa.org.ni or 505-267-2811.

Classes

The Smithsonian Institute Seminars

Jan 29 2008
Speaker / Orador: Joseph Holtum, James Cook University, Australia
Subject / Titulo: "Responses of a Savanna to CO2 Enrichment: the OzFACE Experiment

Feb 12 2008
Speaker / Orador: Dolph Schluter, University of British Columbia
Subject / Titulo: "Adaptation and the Origin of Species"
Mar 4 2008
Speaker / Orador: Eustoquio Molina, Dept. de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Zaragoza
Speaker / Titulo: "Causes of the Main Extinction Events in the last 66 million years"
Contact 212-8076 or
arroya@si.edu or
striosep@si.edu or visit
www.stri.org.
Contactar 212-8076 o arroya@si.edu o striosep@si.edu o visita www.stri.org

Mar 16 & 17 2008
Archeology School

Outdoor Activities

Jan 27, 2008
Hiking at the Soberania National Park. Organized by Club Excursionistas del Istmo. Cost: $35 per person. Information: 6370467

Feb. 1 – 6
Tour to Garachine and Playa de Muerto, province of Darien. Organized by Club Excursio-nistas del Istmo. Cost: $250 per person, includes visit to an Embera indigenous village. Information: 637-0467

Feb. 1 – 6
Tour to Chirripo peak, Costa Rica. Organized by GAM Mountain Activities. Cost: $380 per person. Information: 6601-3405; gampanama@yahoo.com

Future Events

Feb. 10
"Ernesto Navarro Diaz, Ernesto y Ramon Navarro Diez Classic", prize of $10,000 in 1,400 mts for all three-year-old horses. Information: 217-6060.

Feb. 14
International group Camila en concierto. The place and cost of tickets still to be confirmed.

Feb. 15 – 17
Baby Fair 2008 at Las Islas of Atlapa Convention Center, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. With crawling contests, castings for babies, child fashion show, lectures for parents, and other activities. Cost: $3. Information:
www.expoeventos.com.pa; 236-2996

Feb. 16 – 17
Hiking at Baru Volcano National Park. Organized by Ecoviajeros Panama. Cost: $100 per person, includes guide, transportation, and dinner. Information: 6687-2047; 6668-0222;
info@ecoviajerospanama.com

Feb. 21
Opera Rigoletto by Giussepe Verdi at the Anayansi Theater of Atlapa Convention Center. More information soon.

Mar. 1 – 2
Hiking and snorkeling at Coiba National Park. Organized by Ecoviajeros Panama. Cost: $200 per person, includes tours, transportation, lodging, food and drinks. Information: 6687-2047; 6668-0222;
info@ecoviajerospanama.com

Mar. 5 – 8
Expocomer 2008 at Atlapa Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. International Com-mercial Exhibit. Information: www.expocomer.com

Mar. 7 – 9
Hiking and snorkeling at Coiba National Park. Organized by Ecoviajeros Panama. Cost: $200 per person, includes tours, transportation, lodging, food and drinks. Information: 6687-2047; 6668-0222; info@ecoviajerospanama.com

March 27 - April 7
Fair of La Chorrera, in La Chorrera district from12 p.m. With folkloric performances, cattle sales, agricultural sales, and handicrafts.

Mar. 13
Myriam Hernández in concert at the Anayansi Theater of Atlapa Convention Center at 8 p.m. More information soon.

Mar. 14 - 16
Kayak Races from the Cristobal Yacht Club in Colon to Gamboa. More information soon.

Mar. 31
American group "Linkin Park" in concert at the Figali Convention Center at 8 p.m. More information soon.

Mar. 31 – Apr. 2
Housing Expo at Atlapa Con-vention Center.

Apr. 15
Bikers Off Road Association ride from the Atlantic to the Pacfic. $40 entry, www.boapanama.org or crucelagarto@movistar.com.pa.

Calendar of Country fairs

The dry season in Panama means the start of country fair season. In the interior countryside towns and villages, each celebration has a distinct flavor, presentation or theme that reflects the people and traditions of the places they are held. But what they all have in common are throngs of visitors enjoying the music, food, arts and crafts and activities and a chance to connect with local culture.

Here is the calendar covering the coming months' country fairs
January 25 - February 3: La Candelaria in Bugaba, Chiriqui
January 26: The Fair of Homemade Desserts will be in San Francisco de la Montaña, Veraguas Province
February 1 – 3: Santa Fe Fair, Veraguas Province
February 2-3: The Great West Indian Fair at the West Indian Museum, Panama City
February 13 – 18: Sona Fair, Veraguas Province
February 28 - March 2: The Santa Fe Fair, Darien Province
March 6 – 16: The San Jose International Fair in David, Chiriqui Province
March 12 – 16: The San Jose de Tole Fair, Chiriqui Province
March 16 -18: Chitra Fair in Calobre, Veraguas Province
March 27 - April 6: The National Fair in Colon City
March 27 - April 7: La Chorrera International Fair, Panama Province
March 28 through April 2: The Valle de Tonosi Fair, Los Santos Province
April 24 - May 4: The Azuero International Fair, Los Santos Province

Surfers compete in Bocas

Surf's up! The first round of the National Surf Circuit is hitting the waves on Saturday, January 26 and Sunday 27 at Playa Paunch in Bocas del Toro. Fifty surfers will compete for the Tropix Cup and $1,500 in prizes in open, women's, men's, longboard and junior categories. On Saturday the competition will start at 9:00 a.m. and on Sunday at 8:00 a.m.
Competition Judge Raul Stanford commented on the favorable surf conditions in Bocas del Toro; "The advantage of Bocas is that we do not depend on the tide because there is no difference between high and low tide. Right now it is the best place to have the competition because from January to March there are consistently good waves."
This is the first of seven national and two international competitions sponsored by Balboa, a national beer, and Daihatsu. For more information call Tuti de León at 217-7975 or write tuti@modasydeportes.com.

Jazz Festival climaxes at Atlapa and the Old Quarter

Several concerts and events for the Panama Jazz Festival are taking place this Thursday, January 24 and Friday 25, as well as the free closing concert on Saturday January 26 in Panama City's Old Quarter.
Thursday at Atlapa Convention Center in Panama City featurs "Ladies of Jazz" Catherine 'Cat' Russell and the Tia Fuller Quartet. Friday you can catch a "Night of Jazz" at Atlapa with guitarist Stanley Jordan and Dave Samuels with the Caribbean Jazz Project. Tickets for these events are $15, $20, $30 or $40.
A family concert will be held on Friday, January 25 at Atlapa from noon to 5:00 pm. The whole family is invited and tickets are $5. Vocalist Kelly Johnson is scheduled to perform.
The free concert closing the festival has become a big tradition over the event's five year history. At 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 26, when the concert begins,fans begin to pour into Cathedral Plaza in Casco Antiguo, Panama City's Old Quarter, and the air is filled with jazz, rhythm and blues.
Danilo Perez is founder of the festival. He says that its an honor to produce the event because of its cultural and educational concept. Some of the proceeds are used to provide scholarships for young, talented Panamanian musicians. The Danilo Perez Foundation team works with the Panama City Mayor's office on the event.
Tickets are available at Blockbuster locations or online at www.blockbusterpanama.com as well as at The Danilo Perez Foundation on Via España at Via Argentina. Call them at 399-8874 or visit
www.panamajazzfestival.com.

West Indian Fair during the carnival

To compliment the 2008 Panama City Carnival, the Panamanian West Indian Museum is throwing a two day cultural fair Saturday, February 2 and Sunday, February 3 in the Calidonia neighborhood of Panama City at 24th Street at Ave Justo Arosemena. Add cultural variety to your Carnivals with Caribbean food, dance, music as well as arts and crafts.
Clowns will entertain youngsters at a children’s corner and each day will offer a fashion show with the latest Caribbean styles. Live performers include the dance group Acuarela who mix tropical genres and the famous Bocas del Toro band, The Beachers playing salsa and calypso.
The fair starts each day at 10:00 a.m., adult entrance is $3, children $1. Funds will contribute to the maintenance of the museum.

The West Indian Afro-Panamanian ethnic group originally came to the country to build the Panama Railroad and then the Panama Canal in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Relatively new immigrants to the isthmus, they now form one of Panama's three mainstream cultures. Many of their descendants have excelled in sports, music, medicine and politics.

Dinner Concert at IL Boccalino

A dinner concert with Panamanian guitarists Arturo Villareal and Luis Bonilla is right in swing with the Panama Jazz Festival. Enjoy Latin Jazz over dinner this Thursday, January 24 at Il Boccalino restaurant on 49th Street in Bella Vista. $5 cover, reservations calling 223-8521.

Focus Publications (Int.), S.A.