| Carnaval de Ponce | |
|---|---|
Poster bill of the Carnaval de Ponce 2011, celebrated March 2–8, 2011, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. |
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| Official name | Carnaval Ponceño |
| Also called | Carnaval de Ponce |
| Type | Local, cultural |
| Date | February or March - before Ash Wednesday |
| 2011 date | 2–8 March 2011 |
| 2012 date | 15–21 February |
| 2013 date | 6–12 February |
| Celebrations | Parades, parties |
| Related to | Carnival |
The Carnaval de Ponce (English: Ponce Carnival), officially Carnaval Ponceño, is an annual celebration held in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The celebration lasts one week and it ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. Thus, it is generally held in February and sometimes in March. It is one of the oldest carnivals of the Western Hemisphere, dating back to 1858.[1] Some authorities, such as the Smithsonian Institution, believe the Ponce Carnaval can be traced to as far back as 250 years ago.[2] The Carnaval coincides with the Mardi Gras of New Orleans, the Carnival of Venice, and Rio de Janeiro's Carnival. The estimated attendance is 100,000.[3] Scenes of the 2011 Carnaval Ponceño were featured in the Travel Channel on 7 August 2011.[4]
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The Carnaval de Ponce began in the middle of the nineteenth Century. There are no documents stating its official origins, but there are documents mentioning the celebration back in 1858. In 1937, the Carnaval was officially adopted by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
One of the traditions of the Carnaval is the appearance of the "vejigantes", which is a colorful costume traditionally representing the devil or, simply, evil. Vejigantes carry blown cow bladders with which they make sounds and hit people throughout the processions. The vejigante masks are made of paper mache and usually have many horns.
The Carnaval ends with the Burial of the Sardine, at which point everyone signs a song in Spanish that translates into:[5]
The Carnival is dead now
They are burying him;
Throw just a little dirt in
So he can rise again.
The Carnaval starts on the Wednesday before Ash Wednesday, and the events are as follows.[6][7]
Wednesday: Vejigantes Party
Thursday: King Momo Entrance Parade
Friday: Crowning of the Child Queen
Saturday: Crowning of the Carnival Adult Queen
Sunday: Main Parade
Monday: Carnival's Ball Dance
Tuesday: Burial of the Sardine