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Tenerife's more popular festivals-------Part 2
New Year’s Day
Guatemalans celebrate this national holiday the same way as they celebrate all of their holidays, with lively music, colourful costumes, plenty of local hooch (usually cane alcohol) and fireworks. Locals wear new clothes which is hoped to bring good luck for the coming year and the gather in the centre of each town before the street parties begin.
The Pilgrimage of the Black Christ of Esquipulas
The border town of Esquipulas hosts one of the largest religious festivals in Central America. Christian rituals are mixed with Mayan ones with a week long festival which culminates on 15 January. More than 100,000 pilgrims come to pray before the Black Christ, which is carved from dark wood and preserved in the Basilica de Esquipulas.
Holy Week
Easter week is one of the most important in the Catholic calendar. Although processions take place in every town, the most colourful can be found in the
capital as well as in Antigua Guatemala. Guatemala is home to the largest indigenous population in the whole of Latin America (over half of the total
population), so traditions and customs have a very strong local influence. A mix of Mayan and Christian imagery can be seen marching through the streets in an impressive parade. Very few countries in Latin America have kept to such Easter traditions. The first of these processions took place on March 10th 1943 and there has been one every year ever since.
The Folkloric Festival of Rabinal Ajau
Held in the town of Cobán, this is probably the most impressive festival of Indian Traditions in Guatemala. This fiesta is celebrated throughout the region
by the indigenous Kekchis, who wear their traditional costumes and dance the traditional Paabanc.
Assumption Day
Assumption day in Guatemala is a public holiday and a time for family gatherings and sumptuous feasts. In some of the main cities, you’ll see street parades and be invited to many parties. In the smaller towns however, it is common for people to have quieter celebrations and use the day as a time for reflection.
Revolution Day
This is another public holiday in the Guatemalan calendar. It commemorates the democratic revolution of 1944 when unhappy university and military leaders overthrew the military dictator Jorge Ubico y Castaneda. It sees political demonstrations and marches as well as lively celebrations with music and dancing. Guatemalans use any excuse to set off fireworks and this is no exception. Take to the streets of the biggest towns and cities to experience a celebration Guatemalan style.
The Day of the Dead Kite Festival
In Santiago Sacatepéquez, the local population uses kites to communicate with the spirits of the deceased. The festival is a colourful and lively
for which locals build extravagant kites and fly them high above the cemeteries as a symbolic link between the living and the dead.
Burning the Devil Celebrations (La Quema del Diablo)
Guatemalans are habitual victims of early spring cleaning. By late afternoon on 7 December every year, locals burn their rubbish as a symbol of getting rid of all evil spirits from towns and homes. As with every other celebration, there is also lots of drinking, dancing and general revelry as well as the
habitual firework displays.
Christmas
Christmas in Guatemala is a very festive affair. Preparations start at the beginning of December and climax on Christmas Day. There are parties throughout December while Christmas Day itself is a family orientated day that sees church services in the morning, huge feasts in the afternoon, the exchanging of
presents, drinking, music and merry making.
New Year’s Eve
Like many countries, Guatemala celebrates New Year’s Eve with raucous house parties, street parties, fireworks, concerts and the countdown at midnight. Celebrations continue all through the night with many not stopping until dawn.
Guatemalans celebrate this national holiday the same way as they celebrate all of their holidays, with lively music, colourful costumes, plenty of local hooch (usually cane alcohol) and fireworks. Locals wear new clothes which is hoped to bring good luck for the coming year and the gather in the centre of each town before the street parties begin.
The Pilgrimage of the Black Christ of Esquipulas
The border town of Esquipulas hosts one of the largest religious festivals in Central America. Christian rituals are mixed with Mayan ones with a week long festival which culminates on 15 January. More than 100,000 pilgrims come to pray before the Black Christ, which is carved from dark wood and preserved in the Basilica de Esquipulas.
Holy Week
Easter week is one of the most important in the Catholic calendar. Although processions take place in every town, the most colourful can be found in the
capital as well as in Antigua Guatemala. Guatemala is home to the largest indigenous population in the whole of Latin America (over half of the total
population), so traditions and customs have a very strong local influence. A mix of Mayan and Christian imagery can be seen marching through the streets in an impressive parade. Very few countries in Latin America have kept to such Easter traditions. The first of these processions took place on March 10th 1943 and there has been one every year ever since.
The Folkloric Festival of Rabinal Ajau
Held in the town of Cobán, this is probably the most impressive festival of Indian Traditions in Guatemala. This fiesta is celebrated throughout the region
by the indigenous Kekchis, who wear their traditional costumes and dance the traditional Paabanc.
Assumption Day
Assumption day in Guatemala is a public holiday and a time for family gatherings and sumptuous feasts. In some of the main cities, you’ll see street parades and be invited to many parties. In the smaller towns however, it is common for people to have quieter celebrations and use the day as a time for reflection.
Revolution Day
This is another public holiday in the Guatemalan calendar. It commemorates the democratic revolution of 1944 when unhappy university and military leaders overthrew the military dictator Jorge Ubico y Castaneda. It sees political demonstrations and marches as well as lively celebrations with music and dancing. Guatemalans use any excuse to set off fireworks and this is no exception. Take to the streets of the biggest towns and cities to experience a celebration Guatemalan style.
The Day of the Dead Kite Festival
In Santiago Sacatepéquez, the local population uses kites to communicate with the spirits of the deceased. The festival is a colourful and lively
for which locals build extravagant kites and fly them high above the cemeteries as a symbolic link between the living and the dead.
Burning the Devil Celebrations (La Quema del Diablo)
Guatemalans are habitual victims of early spring cleaning. By late afternoon on 7 December every year, locals burn their rubbish as a symbol of getting rid of all evil spirits from towns and homes. As with every other celebration, there is also lots of drinking, dancing and general revelry as well as the
habitual firework displays.
Christmas
Christmas in Guatemala is a very festive affair. Preparations start at the beginning of December and climax on Christmas Day. There are parties throughout December while Christmas Day itself is a family orientated day that sees church services in the morning, huge feasts in the afternoon, the exchanging of
presents, drinking, music and merry making.
New Year’s Eve
Like many countries, Guatemala celebrates New Year’s Eve with raucous house parties, street parties, fireworks, concerts and the countdown at midnight. Celebrations continue all through the night with many not stopping until dawn.