When thinking of Carnival, most people will think of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, or New Orleans in the Unuted States...but did you know that Panama's carnival big party celebration in Panama City is the second largest in the world?

Celebrated since the early 1900's, Panama's Carnival officially begins the fourth day before Ash Wednesday; however, many celebrations begin earlier. On the actual Carnival days, most work comes to a complete stop and the main streets of Panama City are filled with parades, floats ,masks, costumes and confetti. The largest celebrations take place in Panama City and Las Tablas.

Las Tablas, a provincial town about l30 miles west of Panama City, is considered by many the best place to celebrate Carnival. The atmosphere is more folkloric and enlivened by an intense, traditional rivalry between "high street" and "low street" for the fanciest costumes and most creative floats. The following web sites will provide you with more information on Las Tablas Carnival celebration.
http://www.carnavaleslastablas.com
http://www.callearriba.com
http://www.calleabajo.com

Panama City Carnival schedule begins Friday before Ash Wednesday:
Friday everything begins with the selection the Carnival Queen and her attendants. The queen then reigns over the daily parade and official activities. The cities best hotels sponsor related gastronomical and dancing events: Cuban Week at the El Panama, Dominican Republic week at the Caesar Park and Puerto Rican Week at the Riande Continental.
Saturday, Vía Espana, the main street of Panama City, fills with people intent on partying . There is a small parade, music blasts everywhere, (mostly salsa, typical Panamanian and Afro-Cuban) and street vendors abound. Each Carnival day is full of dancing people, carousing and socializing around. In the evening the celebration is mainly indoors at the cities many discos, bars and hotels of all classes and goes on until dawn.
One Panamanian Carnival tradition are the "mojaderas" or "getting drenched" in water. Anyone becomes a target to the many fire hoses, water balloons andr buckets, so come prepared to get wet. It is part of the fun and in the hot tropical sun, a welcome respite. Sunday at midday there is a large,beautiful "pollera" parade. Polleras are Panama's national costume and thousands of women and girls deck themselves out in this lovely national dress to march by groups in the parade or simply walk around.
Monday has more of the same with a small parade and the streets filled with revelers.
Fat Tuesday is the biggest Carnival celebration day. A huge New Orleans-style parade with highly decorated floats and costumed people from all sectors of society. The party finishes in the early hours of the morning.