Granada Festivals
Granada's Unique Festivals
Granada has many celebrations throughout the year. Each one is a different enriching experience. The year starts loud with a major display of fireworks and firecrackers that will wake you up if you are missing the celebration. There are people in the streets at midnight and neighbors greet each other on New Year´s Day. Catholic holidays mark Granada’s festival calendar. More detail on the national holidays can be seen under Holidays and Festivals under Country.
The city of Granada is mostly known for its tourism due to its history and architecture. However, the city has also been characterized by its cultural profile which transformed Granada into the host city for the International Poetry Festival since 2005. This event is a celebration of poetry and culture with poets from all over the world participating, and it is currently the largest poetry event in Nicaragua and Central America. Every year a large number of prestigious poets are invited to the city to recite poems and participate in this cultural event. See the detailed writeup on the Poet Festival.
During Lent season, each Friday afternoon, a viacrucis (way of the cross) where the images of Dolorosa Virgin and Christ crucified go to the streets; they are organized by each church. Granadinos organize stations that recreate different events in Christ life. Then, the Holy Week or Easter Celebration is a major event for the whole country. For instance, the Donkey procession (Procesión de la Burrita) starts the Holy Week on Sunday. This procession represents the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem in a donkey, so in this parade an image of Christ passes through Granada streets atop a real donkey. Moreover, on Thursday, there are huertos: small houses made of leaves and wood outside each church that keeps Christ and the Virgin images. On Friday there is only one viacrucis that goes through most streets. Other Nicaraguans choose to go to the different beaches in the country.
Since many Nicaraguans are devoted Catholics, they express their devotion to each individual saint throughout the year. Occasionally, you will hear firecrackers at 5 a.m. in the morning, Granadinos simply are celebrating a Catholic saint or Virgin. Moreover, Catholic schools organize big parades to honor their Patron Saints. So, if you are around Granada during January 31, May 13, May 24, June 13, June 29 and December 12 you will see parades that include drums, firecrackers, religious processions and canticles. Don Bosco, Fatima Virgin, Mary Virgin, Saint Anthony, Saint Paul and Guadalupe Virgin are celebrated by the schools named after them. Hence, school children play different drums and perform live choreographies in the streets or sing during the streets.
Furthermore, Granada is devoted to la Immaculada Concepcion de Maria, that is, the Immaculate Conception and there are different celebrations. For instance, in August there is el tope del toros which is a Pamplona style event. Some bulls are freed in the streets of the city but they are also controlled to avoid accidents. Then, the Hípica, which is a horse parade dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Hundreds of horseman and horsewoman from different parts of Nicaragua come to this parade. It started as a way in which farmers and horsemen honor the Virgin. Now, it has become a tradition that cannot be separated from any patronal feast.
The official date for the Immaculate Conception Virgin is August 15th and the bulls tope is the weekend before August 15th, meanwhile, the Hípica generally is a weekend after this date. This horse parade starts in the local stadium Roque Tadeo Zavala and crosses the city through Real Xalteva Street and Calzada because it finishes in front of the lake. The hípica is another way to honor the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
Then, in December Nicaraguans celebrate the Purisima Concepción de Maria. The Catholic Church celebrates it on December 8th with a massive religious celebration. This tradition was brought by Spaniards; Franciscan promoted this devotion. During December 7th, people sing to the different altars located in the whole country and they receive a gorro. This gorro is sugar cane, typical deserves, oranges, bananas, among other things related to the Purisima.
However, Purisima in Granada is celebrated differently than in the rest of the country. First of all, the image of the Purisima is different than the others in Nicaragua. This occurs because the Granada image was found floating in the lake in 1721; some women who were washing clothes in the lake saw a figure but they could not reach it. Hence, they called the Franciscan priests and the image came to the shore and it was the Purisima Conception of Mary. Granadinos call this image “Conchita” which is a contraction for Concepción. It has the special name of “General of all the Nicaraguan Armies” because the Virgin plays a major role in the defeat of a group of thieves that had taken Nicaragua. A proof of this is that in the fire that these thieves provoked in Granada and that destroyed the city, the Virgin did not suffer any damage whatsoever. On the contrary, the Cathedral was totally destroyed.
Moreover, the gorro (cap) in Granada is not given to everyone but people organize private prayers and give the gorro to just people invited to it. Nevertheless, the nine days prior to December 8th, Granada streets organize parades where they carry the image of the Virgin in a huge carroza that neighbors made themselves. It is a real display of creativity and devotion.
Finally, the Nativity is another major event for Granadinos’ lives that is filled of pastorelas (kids representing the Biblical passages) and faith. Nicaraguans prefer family celebrations to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Granada has many celebrations throughout the year. Each one is a different enriching experience. The year starts loud with a major display of fireworks and firecrackers that will wake you up if you are missing the celebration. There are people in the streets at midnight and neighbors greet each other on New Year´s Day. Catholic holidays mark Granada’s festival calendar. More detail on the national holidays can be seen under Holidays and Festivals under Country.
The city of Granada is mostly known for its tourism due to its history and architecture. However, the city has also been characterized by its cultural profile which transformed Granada into the host city for the International Poetry Festival since 2005. This event is a celebration of poetry and culture with poets from all over the world participating, and it is currently the largest poetry event in Nicaragua and Central America. Every year a large number of prestigious poets are invited to the city to recite poems and participate in this cultural event. See the detailed writeup on the Poet Festival.
During Lent season, each Friday afternoon, a viacrucis (way of the cross) where the images of Dolorosa Virgin and Christ crucified go to the streets; they are organized by each church. Granadinos organize stations that recreate different events in Christ life. Then, the Holy Week or Easter Celebration is a major event for the whole country. For instance, the Donkey procession (Procesión de la Burrita) starts the Holy Week on Sunday. This procession represents the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem in a donkey, so in this parade an image of Christ passes through Granada streets atop a real donkey. Moreover, on Thursday, there are huertos: small houses made of leaves and wood outside each church that keeps Christ and the Virgin images. On Friday there is only one viacrucis that goes through most streets. Other Nicaraguans choose to go to the different beaches in the country.
Since many Nicaraguans are devoted Catholics, they express their devotion to each individual saint throughout the year. Occasionally, you will hear firecrackers at 5 a.m. in the morning, Granadinos simply are celebrating a Catholic saint or Virgin. Moreover, Catholic schools organize big parades to honor their Patron Saints. So, if you are around Granada during January 31, May 13, May 24, June 13, June 29 and December 12 you will see parades that include drums, firecrackers, religious processions and canticles. Don Bosco, Fatima Virgin, Mary Virgin, Saint Anthony, Saint Paul and Guadalupe Virgin are celebrated by the schools named after them. Hence, school children play different drums and perform live choreographies in the streets or sing during the streets.
Furthermore, Granada is devoted to la Immaculada Concepcion de Maria, that is, the Immaculate Conception and there are different celebrations. For instance, in August there is el tope del toros which is a Pamplona style event. Some bulls are freed in the streets of the city but they are also controlled to avoid accidents. Then, the Hípica, which is a horse parade dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Hundreds of horseman and horsewoman from different parts of Nicaragua come to this parade. It started as a way in which farmers and horsemen honor the Virgin. Now, it has become a tradition that cannot be separated from any patronal feast.
The official date for the Immaculate Conception Virgin is August 15th and the bulls tope is the weekend before August 15th, meanwhile, the Hípica generally is a weekend after this date. This horse parade starts in the local stadium Roque Tadeo Zavala and crosses the city through Real Xalteva Street and Calzada because it finishes in front of the lake. The hípica is another way to honor the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
Then, in December Nicaraguans celebrate the Purisima Concepción de Maria. The Catholic Church celebrates it on December 8th with a massive religious celebration. This tradition was brought by Spaniards; Franciscan promoted this devotion. During December 7th, people sing to the different altars located in the whole country and they receive a gorro. This gorro is sugar cane, typical deserves, oranges, bananas, among other things related to the Purisima.
However, Purisima in Granada is celebrated differently than in the rest of the country. First of all, the image of the Purisima is different than the others in Nicaragua. This occurs because the Granada image was found floating in the lake in 1721; some women who were washing clothes in the lake saw a figure but they could not reach it. Hence, they called the Franciscan priests and the image came to the shore and it was the Purisima Conception of Mary. Granadinos call this image “Conchita” which is a contraction for Concepción. It has the special name of “General of all the Nicaraguan Armies” because the Virgin plays a major role in the defeat of a group of thieves that had taken Nicaragua. A proof of this is that in the fire that these thieves provoked in Granada and that destroyed the city, the Virgin did not suffer any damage whatsoever. On the contrary, the Cathedral was totally destroyed.
Moreover, the gorro (cap) in Granada is not given to everyone but people organize private prayers and give the gorro to just people invited to it. Nevertheless, the nine days prior to December 8th, Granada streets organize parades where they carry the image of the Virgin in a huge carroza that neighbors made themselves. It is a real display of creativity and devotion.
Finally, the Nativity is another major event for Granadinos’ lives that is filled of pastorelas (kids representing the Biblical passages) and faith. Nicaraguans prefer family celebrations to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
