Feriados (Town Festivals)

It felt like I was about to experience Luna Park on Coney Island, and I was thrilled. I'm referring to rides like a ferris wheel, bumper cars, a swinging pirate ship (I'm not entirely sure of its actual name), small roller coasters, the claw and more!

While the carnival rides and games bring some energy to the town, they can't compete with the excitement of all the parades that happen throughout the month. One of the biggest parades features el baile de los Moros y Cristianos (the dance of the Moors and Christians). It's a traditional folk dance that tells the story of the Spanish armies defeating the Arab armies. This battle happened over a thousand years ago around the years 501 to 600. While this battle occurred in Spain, the dance was brought to Guatemala during the Spanish colonization as a way to convert Indigenous people to Christianity. Back then, joining the dance meant converting to Christianity. Today, the dance is part of the popular parade, where people show off flashy costumes, masks and headdresses to represent each side.

Another well-known parade in town is known as a convite, a word whose exact translation I haven’t been able to crack, but whose meaning is tied to the idea of an invitation to share time together. Similar to el baile de los Moros y Cristianos (the dance of the Moors and Christians), it features some dazzling costumes. The first ever participants of the convites wore costumes and masks from traditional dances, primarily showing animals like monkeys, tigers and deer. These costumes later evolved to include characters from popular culture, such as television figures like Bugs Bunny, Spiderman, Buzz Lightyear and more.

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