Panama City's Carnival moves back to old spot

Festivities to be held on Via España between Via Brasil and the Hotel El Panama

Panama City's Carnival moves back to old spot
archive photos by Eric Jackson

All is disorganization and backtracking so far with Panama City's Carnival --- early on the celebrations were taken out of the hands of Panama City's incomptent mayor, but the rabiblanco businessman who was going to organize private celebrations proved incapable at raising the necessar money, so the national government's Panama Tourism Authority (APT) has moved in to take the reins, and backtracked on Martinelli's vow not to provide any funds for the event.

On February 1, less than two weeks before the party's February 12 start, Tourism Minister Salomón Shamah announced to a government-selected group of reporters that Carnival would be returning to its old locale, on Via España between Via Brasil and the Hotel El Panama.

On Carnival Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the celebrations will take place between 10:00 a.m. and midnight. No word on what happens on Friday night.

The Antillean Fair, on the grounds of Panama City's Afro-Antillean Museum on Carnival Saturday and Sunday, will be larger than ever and much better organized than the official Carnival events. It's likely to have a foxier queen, too.

The immigration cops will be out in force at Carnival. They will not be looking for foreign criminals who use Panama as a refuge or as a base for international crimes or crimes against other foreign residents of Panama. They will be looking for people whose papers are not in order. Bring your cedula or your passport with you if you go into the Carnival celebration area.

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