La Fiesta de la Música
Sunday • June 21 • 03:53 PM • Filed under: Casco Viejo
Yesterday Casco Viejo played host to the Fiesta de la Música, a festival of music born in France in 1982 and currently celebrated in over 100 countries around the world. In Panama it's primary sponsor is the French government through it's embassy. This was the third year for the festival in Casco Viejo and it was a BIG event. Four outdoors stages. two indoor venues and a total of thirty seven performances. Things started to happen around five p.m. (not bad, considering it was scheduled to start at four o'clock) and it was still going when Wags and I went out for our midnight walk.
Music ranged from Panamanian traditional to Jazz, reggae, rock and roll, classical, salsa and even some blues - if you couldn't find something to enjoy it wasn't because the festival didn't try hard to provide "something for everyone". Every performance I saw had large enthusiastic crowds that ranged from little kids to their grandparents - and everybody was dancin' to the music. Because the streets were all closed to vehicles there were also a lot of people just walking around Casco - enjoying the the cool evening, the street food, shops and talking with friends. It was a great "people watching" experience.
In addition to all the music, Casco also hosted Arte en Vivo a "wet paint live art auction" in Plaza de Francia. This event had forty plus artists creating works that later in the day were auctioned off as a fundraiser for a local non-profit. The finished paintings ranged from very good (iWE liked them) to those underscoring that "art is always in the eye of the beholder". The important thing was everyone was having a good time and they raised some money for a good cause.
We're already looking forward to next year. Take care.