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The La Ceiba Carnival (Gran Carnaval Internacional de La Ceiba) is an annual celebration in La Ceiba, Honduras held every third or fourth Saturday of May. The event is in held in honor of Saint Isidore the Laborer, the patron saint of the city. The celebration starts at least one week before the main event, which is a big parade followed by an all-night party along Avenida San Isidro, La Ceiba’s main thoroughfare.
In 1917, La Ceiba held its first fair known as “Feria la Isidra” in honor of its patron saint. It was during the event that the city picked the “Reina de la Feria” (Queen of the Fair). In 1968, it was decided that there would be a parade in honor of the Queen of the fair. The parade was held on May 25 with only 5 floats which were sponsored by local businesses. By 1972, over 15 floats were in the parade. In 1976, the first “carnavalito” was held in Barrio Mejia, a local neighborhood. Many neighborhoods were offered the chance to have one of these small carnivals and parades, but Barrio Mejia was the only one that accepted. Seeing that this carnavalito was a success, other neighborhoods followed in years later.
Nowadays the festivities start with the crowning of the queen, 2 weeks before the parade. Then a small procession with many of the local high schools takes place. The official St. Isidore feast day is on May 15 and it’s a local public holiday.
The week before the parade, from Monday to Friday, many neighborhoods and plazas have their own little carnivals. The neighborhoods and Plazas that have or still participate with their own small carnival are:
The Saturday after the last little carnival during the afternoon the parade starts usually in the south end of Avenida San Isidro and runs along the entire road and ends at the beach. After the parade, thousands of people remain on the street where many people sell food, drink and souvenirs all night. The event is regarded as the largest in Central America, bringing over 500,000 tourists in 2008 alone (number provided by the Unidad Turistica Municipal, which is the office that is in charge of the carnival)
Carnival is a Western Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide. Carnival typically involves public celebrations, including events such as parades, public street parties and other entertainments, combining some elements of a circus. Elaborate costumes and masks allow people to set aside their everyday individuality and experience a heightened sense of social unity. Participants often indulge in excessive consumption of alcohol, meat, and other foods that will be forgone during upcoming Lent. Traditionally, butter, milk, and other animal products were not consumed "excessively", rather, their stock was fully consumed as to reduce waste. This festival is known for being a time of great indulgence before Lent, with drinking, overeating, and various other activities of indulgence being performed. For example, Pancakes, donuts, and other desserts were prepared and eaten for a final time. During Lent, animal products are eaten less, and individuals have the ability to make a Lenten sacrifice, thus giving up a certain object or activity of desire.
The wealth of cultural expression in Honduras owes its origins primarily to being a part of Latin America but also to the multi-ethnic nature of the country. The population comprises 85% Mestizo, 7% Caucasian, 6% Amerindian, and 2,9% Black. This influences all facets of the culture: customs, practices, ways of dressing, religion, rituals, codes of behavior and belief systems.
La Ceiba is a municipality, the capital of the Honduran department of Atlántida and a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean, forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras. With an estimated population of 199,080 living in approximately 170 residential areas, it is the fourth most populous and third most important city in the country.
Manizales is a city and municipality in central Colombia. It is the capital of the Department of Caldas, and lies near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano.
Atlixco is a city and a municipality in the Mexican state of Puebla. It is a regional industrial and commercial center but economically it is much better known for its production of ornamental plants and cut flowers. The city was founded early in the colonial period, originally under the jurisdiction of Huejotzingo, but eventually separated to become an independent municipality. The municipality has a number of notable cultural events, the most important of which is the El Huey Atlixcayotl, a modern adaptation of an old indigenous celebration. This event brings anywhere from 800 to 1,500 participants from all over the state of Puebla to create music, dance, and other cultural and artistic performances.
The Feria Nacional de San Marcos is a national fair held in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes every year for three weeks. Most of the events related to the fair, however, occur in the city of Aguascalientes, the state capital. The exact date of the fair varies every year but is set around April 25, the Feast Day of San Marcos.
San Ángel is a colonia or neighborhood of Mexico City, located in the southwest in Álvaro Obregón borough. Historically, it was a rural community, called Tenanitla in the pre-Hispanic period. Its current name is derived from the El Carmen monastery school called San Ángel Mártir. San Ángel remained a rural community, centered on the monastery until the 19th and 20th centuries, when the monastery was closed and when the area joined urban sprawl of Mexico City. However, the area still contains many of its former historic buildings and El Carmen is one of the most visited museums in the city. It is also home to an annual flower fair called the Feria de las Flores, held since 1856.
Blacks and Whites' Carnival, is the largest carnival celebration in south Colombia, its geographical indication belongs to the city of Pasto. It is celebrated from January 2nd to the 7th of each year and attracts a considerable number of Colombian and foreign tourists.
The Carnival of Barranquilla is one of Colombia's most important folkloric celebrations, and one of the biggest carnivals in the world. The carnival has traditions that date back to the 19th century. Four days before Holy Week, Barranquilla decks itself out to receive national and foreign tourists and joins together with the city's inhabitants to enjoy four days of intense festivities. During the carnival, Barranquilla's normal activities are put aside as the city gets busy with street dances, musical and masquerade parades. The Carnival Of Barranquilla includes dances such as the Spanish paloteo, African Congo, and indigenous mico y micas. Many styles of Colombian music are also performed, most prominently cumbia, and instruments include drums and wind ensembles. The Carnival of Barranquilla was proclaimed a Cultural Masterpiece of the Nation by Colombia's National Congress in 2002. Also the UNESCO, in Paris on November 7, 2003, declared it one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and it was during Olga Lucia Rodriquez Carnival Queen year.
The carnival in Colombia was introduced by the Spaniards. The Colombian carnival has incorporated elements from European culture, and has managed to syncretise, or re-interpret, traditions that belonged to the African and Amerindian cultures of Colombia. There is documentary evidence that the carnival existed in Colombia in the 17th century and had already caused concern to the colonial authorities, who censored the celebrations, especially in the main centers of power such as Cartagena, Bogotá and Popayán. The carnival, therefore, continued its evolution and re-interpretation in the small and at that time unimportant towns where celebrations did not offend the ruling elites. The result was the uninterrupted celebration of carnival festivals in Barranquilla, and other villages along the lower Magdalena River in northern Colombia, and in Pasto, Nariño in the south of the country. In modern times, there have been attempts to introduce the carnival in the capital, Bogotá, in the early 20th century, but it has always failed to gain the approval of authorities. The Bogotá Carnival has had to wait until the 21st century to be resurrected, this time, by the authorities of the city. Colombia is recognized by its large variety of festivals, carnivals and fairs. Most towns have their own, ranging from those celebrating coffee to the ones held in honor of the town's Saint feast. The common characteristics of the festivals are the nomination of a beauty Queen and the setting up of public dance floor.
Isidore the Farm Labourer, also known as Isidore the Farmer, was a Spanish farmworker known for his piety toward the poor and animals. He is the Catholic patron saint of farmers and of Madrid, El Gobernador, Jalisco and of La Ceiba, Honduras. His feast day is celebrated on May 15.
The municipality of Boñar is located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2010 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 2,085 inhabitants with almost all of the residents living in the main town of Boñar. In addition to Boñar, the municipality includes the villages of Adrados, Barrio de las Ollas, Las Bodas, Cerecedo, Llama de Colle, Felechas, Grandoso, Orones, Oville, Poblado del Pantano, Rucayo, Valdecastillo, Valdehuesa, La Vega de Boñar, Veneros, Vozmediano, and Voznuevo. Most surrounding villages in the municipality of Boñar have between 10 and 30 permanent residents. A few larger villages may have as many as 250 villagers.
A flower parade is a parade in which the floats, vehicles, boats, participants, animals and other things are decorated or covered in flowers. Often there are other elements like marching bands and people in costumes. Flower parades are held in several countries, many of which celebrate the forthcoming of the seasons. The oldest flower parade dates back to the 1800s.
San Andrés Cholula is the municipal seat of San Andrés Cholula Municipality located in the Metropolitan area of Puebla, in the center west of the state of Puebla in the central highlands of Mexico, 122 km east of Mexico City and eight kilometres west of the city of Puebla. It is one of the two municipalities, along with San Pedro Cholula, that make up the modern city of Cholula or Cholula de Rivadavia. The city of Cholula has been divided into two parts since the pre Hispanic period, when the Toltecs-Chichimecas revolted, took over and pushed the formerly dominant Olmec –Xicallancas to the eastern side of the city. This side is the city is defined as the Great Pyramid of Cholula and east. The city has remained more or less divided since under different political organizations. However, the two halves share a common religious and social tradition which binds the city as a whole. San Andrés is known for being historically indigenous and still contains a larger indigenous population. It is also home to a number of colonial era churches decorated in Talavera tile and in a style called Indigenous or Folk Baroque. The best known example of this is the church in the Santa María Tonatzintla community.
The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is held each February in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the largest island of the Canary Islands, Spain and attracts people from all over the world.
The Fiesta de las Cruces or Cruz de Mayo is a holiday celebrated on the 3rd of May in many parts of Spain and Hispanic America.
The Coconut Festival is a week-long celebration in San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines, in honor of their patron Saint Paul the Hermit. It is held every first to second week of January. It is a celebration started in 1996. The festival consists of Street dancing, float parade, street concerts, nightly programs before the city fiesta and some other important events like the yearly "Mutya at Lakan ng San Pablo".
Carnival in Mexico is celebrated by about 225 communities in various ways, with the largest and best known modern celebrations occurring in Mazatlán and the city of Veracruz.
San Gregorio Atlapulco is a neighbourhood located in the borough of Xochimilco in Mexico City, Mexico.
The Carnaval de Vejigantes, officially Carnaval de Vejigantes de La Playa de Ponce, is an annual celebration held at Barrio Playa in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The celebration, which commonly lasts three to five days, generally takes place in late January or early February. It started in 1991. It takes place at Parque Lucy Grillasca on PR-585 in Barrio Playa. The parade, one of the highlights of the carnival, usually takes off from Cancha Salvador Dijols on Avenida Hostos (PR-123) and ends at Parque Lucy Grillasca (PR-585). Attendance is estimated at over 15,000 people. It is attended by people from all over Puerto Rico, and some attendees are from as far as the United States. It is organized and operated by a community, civic, NGO group, not by any government or government agency.
