Balls of Fire Festival
Once a year on August 31st, the little town of Nejapa, just north of San Salvador hosts the Fireball Festival (Bolas de Fuego). Started 90 years ago to commemerate the eruption of a nearby volcano, balls of cloth wrapped with wire are soaked in kerosene during the two months before the festival. On the 31st, two teams dress up in costume - skeletons painted on clothing, "war-paint" - don gardening gloves and fight fire with fire, throwing the burning balls at each other and the audience who line the streets. One of the most organized festivals in El Salvador, emergency medics are on hand, police keep order and guests have a chance to hold the balls of fire before and after the fight. Usually music follows the fight and a good time is had by all.
Christmas In El Salvador
Salvadorans like most if not all Latin Americans, value family and put it first during Christmas celebrations. Family gatherings begin at about 7:00 pm (on Christmas Eve), when members start arriving at a determined home, mostly the grandparents. A must to bring along are fireworks, usually estrellitas which are used around midnight, when everything and everyone is in a festive frenzy with laughter and hugs for the birth of Baby Jesus.
El Salvador Independence Day
Independence Day is a very important holiday in my country El Salvador. We celebrate it on September 15.That day is very important because that was the day that El Salvador got its freedom from Spain. It got its freedom by fighting. The people who fought for the freedom were Jose Matias Delgado, Jose Simeon Callas, and the Aguilar brothers. They are only three of many people who worked and fought a lot to help the country to be independent. September 15, 1821 was when they won independence. Before the day, teachers and students at school prepare a parade for the people.At 7:00 a.m. on September 15, students and the bands get ready to march all around the city. Cheerleaders get ready to dance, too. Students dress with uniforms, blue and white, the colors of our flag. Blue means the color of the sky or water and white means peace. After students finish marching all around the city, they march to the school. At school the students have a show that they prepared for the people. In one part of the show they pretend to be someone famous. "I like to imitate singers because I admire them and I also love music," one Blair student from El Salvador said. In another part of the show they dance folkloric music and other kinds of music, like merengue, salsa and others. At the beginning of the show, everyone stands and sings the national song. Then the groups come out one by one to dance in front of the people. Students dress with different clothes. Some wear folkloric dresses. But everyone looks nice. This is a great holiday that Salvadorians love to celebrate. It is a very happy day, because all the people from the city unite to celebrate it.
Panchimalco Flower and Palm Festival
This festival is held in May of every year, and you will be able to enjoy the
beautiful displays of flowers and palms that are set up throughout the country.
There is a lot of music and entertainment during this time, and you can be a
part of it by watching the performances and enjoying the culture.
Fiestas Agostinas
This festival is held in the month of August each year and has a variety of
sport tournaments, art exhibitions, theater, food fairs, and many other events
that you can enjoy while staying in El Salvador. You can find that this is one
of the most popular El Salvador festivals and there are many events that you can
enjoy.
Holy week
march or april: It's very much celebrated throughout the country since Catholic Romans are predominant. Salvadoreans celebrate Holy Week before Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday. Processions are held everywhere in the country with images of Jesus carrying the cross. Daily religious services are carried out. A place of interest is Sonsonate, El Salvador"s fourth most important city, well known for its street carpets made of colourful flowers and coloured sawdust that are created on the street of the procession. This Holy Week tradition attracts visitors from all over the country. Lent is kept by not consuming meat on Fridays but seafood instead during this time. Some of the most popular food for Holy Week is: fish cake soup or seafood soup, rice with clams accompanied with hot tortillas made from corn flour, plantain or mango marmalade, dry fruit candy and French toast with sugar cane honey (panela) called torrejas. To end the week, Easter Sunday is celebrated with a special mass and a procession.
Columbus Day
October 12: The continent discovered on October 12th, 1492
was not understood to be a new world at the time, in fact Christopher Columbus
thought that he had arrived in India. After Columbus' voyage, other smaller
trips financed by the Spanish crown were organized, like those of Núñez de
Balboa who crossed the Straits of Panama on foot and found the Pacific Ocean
(1513); and the one of Francisco Hernandez of Cordova (1517) and Juan de
Grijalva (1518) who crossed the Mexican coasts. The Florentine Américo Vespucio
(Ameigo Vespucci in Italian) (1451-1512) crossed the North coast of South
America, the coasts of Brazil and the south of the Patagonia, and verified
definitively that the place where Columbus had arrived was not India, but a new
continent to which he gave his name: América.
All Souls Day
November 2: All Souls Day is a celebration in the entire
country. It is customary to go to the cemetery and pray and place flowers on
the tombs of the deceased loved ones. One can place wreaths of natural or paper
flowers. It is also traditional to place cypress leaves wreaths for their
pleasant aroma. The food usually consumed during this time of year is: tamales
(chicken or pork, sweet or salty) and sliced pumpkin cooked with brown sugar.
This dessert is called "Ayote en miel".