Parade of a Thousand Polleras to Boost Economy in Las Tablas

As part of the cultural agenda, Pérez highlighted that additional events have been organized around the Parade of a Thousand Polleras. The traditional Parade of a Thousand Polleras, considered one of the highest expressions of Panamanian culture and folklore, will be held this Saturday, the 17th, in the city of Las Tablas, with the confirmed participation of more than 100 delegations from different parts of the country. Pérez emphasized that this economic movement benefits not only hotels and restaurants but also entrepreneurs, artisans, makeup artists, musicians, people dedicated to renting, washing, and ironing polleras, as well as retail and wholesale trade, turning the Parade of a Thousand Polleras into a clear engine of economic and cultural reactivation for the Azuero region. Joint mud baths (juntas de embarra) will also be held in the communities of Pedasí and in the Los Ángeles de Los Santos area, as part of the preliminary activities organized by entrepreneurs and tourism operators. According to Daniel Pérez, regional director of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) in the province of Los Santos, the parade is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. sharp, and the attendance of around 200,000 people, including nationals and tourists, is expected. Hotel occupancy in the province of Los Santos is at 100%, the same as in the province of Herrera, while in neighboring provinces such as Veraguas and Coclé, high occupancy levels are reported. Meanwhile, in 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 pre-parade event on Friday. To this is added the rental of family homes and beach houses, made available to visitors and delegations. 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. Starting on Thursday, in the city of Las Tablas, gastronomic and artisanal routes will take place, while in the district of Parita, in Herrera, a festival of wines and polleras will be held, with the aim of highlighting the culture and gastronomy of the region. Among the main provisions, it is prohibited for people parading in the delegations to wear stylized dresses and polleras made with painted or printed fabrics, measures that seek to protect the authenticity of the pollera in any of its more than 100 variants, all of which are welcome within the parade. Likewise, detailed Pérez, in the case of the gentlemen participating, the use of sneakers or caps will not be allowed, norms that do not apply to people who are part of the delegations in support, logistics, or work tasks, and who do not participate directly in the parade. In the economic aspect, the regional director of the ATP pointed out that the event has a governmental investment of approximately 150 thousand dollars, made through the Tourism Authority and with the support of the Ministry of Culture, but it generates an economic impact estimated at more than 40 million dollars for the Azuero region.