August 15th is a Holiday in Panama Commemorating the Foundation of Old Panama City

This day is a public holiday in Panama, meaning schools and most businesses are closed. It’s a day for Panamanians to honor the history and foundation of their capital city.  Panama Viejo Celebrates 506 Years with Cultural Activities and an Open House.  August 15 is officially recognized as a holiday in the district of Panama, by Law No. 14 of January 20, 1995, which stipulates that it shall be free for public officials and educational institutions, both public and private, within Panama City.

Historic Monumental Complex of Old Panama

Panama City, Panama: Panama City celebrates its 506th anniversary.  The celebrations will conclude the last weekend of August with a cultural festival on the 29th, 30th, and 31st, held within the monumental complex, in partnership with the Panama Viejo Trust.  This Friday, August 15, Panama City commemorates 506 years since its founding , recalling its origins as the first city established by the Spanish on the Pacific coast and a key part of one of the continent’s most important trade routes, a role it maintains to this day.  According to historian Alfredo Castillero Calvo, the first city — which we now call Old Panama — was initially located on a fishing village in the area currently known as Coco del Mar.

In 1519, for reasons still unknown, it was moved to the site where its ruins now lie, under the name of Our Lady of the Assumption of Panama, founded by Pedrarias Dávila.  However, from its earliest years, the location presented drawbacks: it was open to the countryside, making it difficult to defend against enemy attacks; surrounded by swamps that made it unhealthy and prone to flooding; and with a shortage of drinking water in certain months. Although moving it several times was considered, the existing buildings halted those plans… until things changed drastically.  The most memorable episode occurred on January 28, 1671, when the pirate Henry Morgan and his men raided the city. Legend has it that Morgan burned it to the ground, but archives reveal that the Captain General of Tierra Firme, Juan Pérez de Guzmán, ordered the gunpowder stores to be detonated to prevent total looting.

The explosion caused a massive fire that razed much of the city.  Still, Morgan and his men managed to escape with considerable loot: enough riches to carry 195 mules, as well as prisoners and slaves, retreating on February 24, 1671.  After the catastrophe, the authorities decided to move the city to a safer location: the “Ancón site”, where the new walled city that we know today as the Old Town, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, was founded in 1673.  Five centuries later, Panama remains a bridge between worlds and a witness to stories of ambition, tragedy, and rebirth. Today, its anniversary not only recalls its glorious and turbulent past, but also the resilience that has made it an eternal city.

Activities

The commemoration of the 506th anniversary of the founding of Old Panama will take place this month with a program that includes solemn events, historical tours, parades, and a cultural festival.  On Friday, August 15th, the anniversary date, the event began at 7:00 a.m. with the raising of the flag and a formal ceremony bringing together students from various schools in the area. During the event, there was a reading of the book “I Am a City Called Panama.”

Visitors will be able to tour, with specialized guides, iconic spaces such as the tower, the Convent of the Conception, and the Jesuit quarters. There will also be appearances by characters dressed in period costumes to recreate the historical atmosphere.  The traditional parade will not take place on the same day, but on Sunday, August 17, to facilitate public and local business participation. The route will run along Highway 50, from the Statue of Morelos to the Puente del Rey, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

More than 45 delegations will participate, including student bands from schools in the capital and throughout the country, such as José Daniel Crespo, the Normal School of Santiago, and the Colegio de la Primavera, as well as institutions such as Pedro Pablo, Moisés Castillo Ocaña, and Abel Bravo.  The Panamanian Federation of Independent Bands (Fepabi) will also participate to close out the event, which will include a competition to award the best marching band, and the best elementary school band. Rodríguez explained that the program was expanded to avoid interruptions and allow the audience to enjoy a continuous performance throughout the day.

Cultural Festival

The celebrations will conclude the last weekend of August with a cultural festival on the 29th, 30th, and 31st, held within the monumental complex, in partnership with the Patronato de Panamá Viejo (Panama Viejo Patronage). During these dates, traditional games, folklore performances, and activities for the whole family will be offered.  The event will feature renowned national artists such as Osvaldo Ayala and Ulpiano Vergara. The representative emphasized that this initiative seeks to recreate the spirit of past celebrations, albeit without mechanical attractions, and to provide opportunities for local entrepreneurs to boost the community economy.

Official holidays in Panama

• Jan 1

New Year’s Day

National holiday

• Jan 9

Martyr´s Day

National holiday

• Feb 15

Carnival

Observance

• Feb 16

Carnival

Observance

• Feb 17

Carnival

Local holidays

• Feb 18

Carnival/Shrove Tuesday

National holiday

• April 02

Good Friday

National holiday

• April 03

Holy Saturday

Bank holiday

• April 04

Easter Day

Observance

• May 1

Labor Day / May Day

National holiday

• Jun 20

June Solstice

Season

• Aug 15

Foundation of Old Panama City

Local holidays

• Sep 22

September equinox

Season

• Nov 3

Independence Day

National holiday

• Nov 4

Flag Day

Local holidays

• Nov 5

Colon Day

National holiday

• Nov 10

Shout in Villa de los Santos

National holiday

• Nov 11

Shout in Villa de los Santos

National holiday (in lieu)

• Nov 28

Independence from Spain

National holiday

• Dec 8

Mother’s Day

National holiday

• Dec 9

Mother’s Day

National holiday (in lieu)

• Dec 20

National Mourning Day

National holiday

• Dec 21

December Solstice

Season

• Dec 24

Christmas Eve

Bank holiday

• Dec 25

Christmas Day

National holiday

• Dec 26

Christmas Day observed

National holiday

• Dec 31

New Year’s Eve

Bank holiday