Carnaval de Ponce
The third edition of Carnaval Comunitario de Ponce will be held from September the 10th to September the 13th. Many communities from several municipalities in the South will get together to celebrate with music, parades, vejigantes, and merry-go-rounds. Two interesting activities will be featured in this event: vegijantes and the sardine’s burial (“entierro de la sardina”).
About Vejigantes
The vejigante is a folkloric character in Puerto Rican carnivals, festivals, and other events. They wear brightly colored, ornate masks of all colors and costumes with bat-like wings. The origin of the vejigantes go back to medieval Spain, when infidel Moors were defeated in a battle led by St. James. At the time, people dressed as daemons participated in processions to honor the Saint. In Puerto Rico, the tradition was enriched with the bomba and plena music.
About Entierro de la Sardina
Entierro de la Sardina is a Spanish ceremony celebrating the end of carnival and other festivities. The “Burials” generally consist of a carnival parade that parodies a funeral procession and culminates with the burning of a symbolic figure, usually a representation of a sardine.
