Cover Story
City Carnival on Via España
The beauties of the City Carnival: First
Princess Mayerlys García, Carnival Queen Yeesel
Domínguez, Second Princess Raiza González.
The Panama City Carnival will be held on Via España this year from February 12 to 16. The Queen of the City Carnival, Yeesel Dominguez, told The Visitor: “Our crowing ceremony will be on Friday, February 12 at 7:00 p.m. in front of Hotel El Panama, and from Saturday through Tuesday, the party will start at 10:00 a.m. The big evening parades will begin at 6:00 p.m. every day.”
The decision to return the city carnival route to Via España from Via Transismica was made by the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP). A reduction in budget and new hours mark what ATP Administrator Salomón Shamah calls “a new beginning” for the city carnival.
President Ricardo Martinelli had assured that he would not fund the Panama City Carnival, which between 2006 and 2009 received $14 million. But in the end, he authorized the ATP to dedicate $200,000 for stands and national musical acts.
The capital city Carnival route
The parade route on Via España begins past Ave Belisario Porras, at the eastern end of Via España and ends at La Iglesia del Carmen, at Via España and Ave Federico Boyd. The main stages will be located in front of Exedra Books at Via España and Via Brasil and in front of Hotel El Panama.
The biggest change is that the party will stop at midnight, for security reasons. The same parades, musical performances, ‘culecos’ (dousing of water on revelers during the heat of the day) and typical food can be found at hours adjusted to allow for the same length of party, but at an earlier interval. Minors not accompanied by an adult must observe the 9:00 p.m. curfew.
“Carnival is extra special this year,” said Yeesel, “because it is the 100th year of Carnival in Panama. We are excited about the Via España route, I think this is going to be the best Carnival in many years!”
In years to come, the ATP wishes to wean the city carnival off government support, and create a celebration that is produced by civil society and the private sector, as are all the county’s other carnival celebrations.