The traditional Parade of a Thousand Polleras, considered one of the highest expressions of Panamanian culture and folklore, will be held this Saturday, January 17, in the city of Las Tablas, with the confirmed participation of more than 100 delegations from different parts of the country. According to Daniel Pérez, regional director of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) in the province of Los Santos, the parade is scheduled to start promptly at 1:00 p.m., and attendance of around 200,000 people is expected, including nationals and tourists. Pérez reported that for this edition, specific regulations have been established to safeguard the proper use of the pollera, a symbol of Panamanian cultural heritage. Among the main provisions, people marching in the delegations are prohibited from wearing stylized costumes and polleras made with painted or printed fabrics. These measures aim to protect the authenticity of the pollera in any of its more than 100 variants, all of which are welcome in the parade. Likewise, Pérez detailed, in the case of gentlemen participating, the wearing of sneakers or caps will not be permitted. These norms do not apply to those who are part of the delegations in support, logistics, or work roles and who do not participate directly in the parade. As part of the cultural agenda, Pérez highlighted that additional events have been organized around the Parade of a Thousand Polleras. Starting Thursday, in the city of Las Tablas, gastronomic and artisanal fairs will take place, while in the district of Parita, in Herrera, a festival of wines and polleras will be held, with the objective of highlighting the culture and gastronomy of the region. On the other hand, in the Villa de Los Santos, interactive carpets and Corpus Christi dances will be presented, allowing visitors who have not witnessed this traditional cultural manifestation to enjoy it during the prelude to the parade on Friday. Joint 'juntas de embarra' will also be held in communities of Pedasí and in the area of Los Ángeles de Los Santos, as part of the pre-event activities organized by entrepreneurs and tourism operators. In economic terms, the regional director of the ATP pointed out that the event has a government investment of approximately 150,000 dollars, made through the Tourism Authority with the support of the Ministry of Culture, but it generates an estimated economic impact of more than 40 million dollars for the Azuero region. Hotel occupancy in the province of Los Santos is at 100%, as is in the province of Herrera, while neighboring provinces such as Veraguas and Coclé report high levels of occupancy. This is added to the rental of family homes and beach houses, made available to visitors and delegations. Pérez emphasized that this economic movement benefits not only hotels and restaurants but also entrepreneurs, artisans, makeup artists, musicians, people dedicated to the rental, washing, and ironing of polleras, as well as retail and wholesale trade, converting the Parade of a Thousand Polleras into a clear engine of economic and cultural reactivation for the Azuero region.
