PUBLIC HOLIDAYS & EVENTS

Panama is a country full of culture and history. One of the best ways to discover the cultural beauty of Panama during your Spanish program is to witness the various public holidays and events.

Please note that additional info (prices, activities, etc) are found to the right of this pages.

Below we have a list of the major holidays celebrated in Panama.

Here is a brief description of some of the more popular holidays.

Carnival

Carnival is the Latin American version of our Mardi Gras. The celebrations run during the 4 days prior to Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent. Since most of the country is Catholic, this holiday is a major one. The celebration includes fantastic costumes, eating, drinking, dancing and a large parade on Shrove Tuesday.

Semana Santa

A huge occasion in Latin America and of course Panama. Semana Santa means Holy Week, and is celebrated during the week prior to Easter Sunday. There are a variety of events and celebrations held during the week. Some of the processions are the most festive and interesting to watch.

Corpus Christi

These are the celebrations that take place 40 days after Easter. The most well recognized celebrations take place in the Villa de los Santos. People will wear masks, costumes, participate in dances and other processsions. An interesting spectacle to say the least.