San Miguelito; La Chorrera; David: All Filled With Color From Christmas Parades

Panama: Christmas took over the streets of San Miguelito, La Chorrera and David this weekend, where thousands of people came out to enjoy simultaneous Christmas parades, marked by floats, musical bands, school delegations and a large security deployment, in days that also caused road closures and congestion. 

San Miguelito: Parade on the Trans-Isthmian Highway and Heavy Security Operation

In the district of San Miguelito, the parade began in the Moya sector, Pan de Azúcar, in front of Los Andes No. 1, and traveled approximately one kilometer along the Transístmica road to the Los Andes Mall shopping center, in front of Los Andes No. 2.  Throughout the parade route, a large number of modified vehicles were seen, as well as the participation of school groups and marching bands. According to the organizers, 45 groups confirmed their participation, a significant change from previous years when the parade was held only on the district’s internal streets.  The event caused heavy traffic congestion, especially towards San Isidro and Panama North, as only two lanes were open towards the city center.

Authorities recommended that drivers use the Northern Corridor or the Southern Corridor as alternate routes.  The Director of Culture and Sports for the Municipality of San Miguelito, Manuel Díaz, reported that 200 units of the National Police were deployed, in addition to personnel from the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, Civil Protection and the Red Cross, with the support of an operations center with surveillance cameras.  “It will last until 11 p.m., but we have 200 units from the Police, firefighters, Civil Protection, and the Red Cross. Everything is focused on guaranteeing security so that the event proceeds peacefully,” said Díaz, who assured that the rest of the district also maintained police coverage, despite it being an event during the evening and night. 

La Chorrera: 52 Delegations and Hundreds of Families on Avenida de las Américas 

Images from the parade in the district of La Chorrera.

In La Chorrera, Panama West, the Christmas parade was scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. on the Avenue of the Americas, although at that time the first delegations were still forming near the Ministry of Public Works (MOP).  The road was closed to vehicular traffic, with detours before the MOP, so the authorities recommended using alternate routes for those heading towards the interior of the country.  According to the organizers, 52 delegations would parade down the avenue from the Ministry of Public Works to Libertador Park. From early morning, hundreds of people, including children and adults, lined the route, some in costumes, with chairs, and with their families, taking advantage of the pleasant weather for the festive day.

Chiriquí: 82 Delegations Tour the Streets of David

In David, Chiriquí, the Christmas parade took place in the district of David, starting in the Parque de las Madres area. From there, the parade route proceeded along Central Avenue, continued along F Sur, and ended near the Inter-American Highway in the southeastern part of the city.  According to authorities, 82 delegations participated in the parade, which was expected to conclude after 9:00 or 11:00 p.m. In addition, at least 17 bands and floats were present, coming not only from David and Dolega, but also from other districts in the province.  From early hours, a large crowd gathered at the starting points of the parade, in a celebration that combined music, tradition and a family atmosphere.