Los Parachicos in the Fiesta Grande

Music, dance, handicrafts, gastronomy and religious ceremonies come together in this long festivity that takes place between the 4th and the 23rd of January in honor of the Señor de Esquipulas (15th January), San Antonio Abad (17th January), and especially San Sebastián (20th January). Few traditional festivals on the continent give off as much intense energy as this one does. The Fiesta Grande is a collective offering to the venerated saints. Its most spectacular part is Los Parachicos, an expression that describes a group of dancers as well as the type of dance they execute. Los Parachicos travel around the town with the saints’ images and visiting different holy places. But the party is also a banquet of collective meals (with local and delicious dishes) and the perfect occasion to sell handicrafts. It is also very much about socializing and the re-telling of the myths and traditions of this mestiza (mixed ethnicity) community.