A total of 17 bands will perform on November 29th in a parade that will start at 5:00 p.m. in the 10 de Noviembre park and will proceed to the Libertador avenue.
Aquiles Acevedo, president of the festivities board, stated that this decision was made to avoid what happened in 2024, when only eight out of 19 independent bands were able to parade in the early morning hours. He added that the Ministry of Education (Meduca) has been asked to reduce the number of student bands for the 2026 activities in order to hold the parade in a single day.
Due to the massive attendance of school bands, the Festivities and Patriotic Anniversaries Board decided not to include independent bands in the November 28th parade. He also mentioned that school delegations must comply with Executive Decree 708, which regulates the participation of delegations in parades and stipulates that the salute to authorities will be given on the march.
More than 80 music bands from different schools in the country will parade on November 28th in the district of La Chorrera, Panama West province, to commemorate the 204th anniversary of Panama's independence from Spain.
The National Police (PN) reported that it will deploy some 300 police units, which will form three 'security rings' in the parade area without neglecting residential and commercial areas.
Mario Ramírez, regional coordinator of parades, said that the invited schools will participate in the 'Alfredo Minuto Canesa' music band contest, which offers an 11,000-dollar prize.
The PN will also carry out a joint operation with the Justices of the Peace to prevent drivers from blocking intersections and emergency exits.
