Carnaval de Ponce
{{Short description|Annual celebration held in Ponce, Puerto Rico}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Carnaval de Ponce
| image = Afiche del Carnaval Ponceño 2011, in Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg
| caption = Poster bill of the 2011 Carnaval de Ponce, celebrated 2–8 March 2011, in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
| official_name = Carnaval Ponceño
| nickname = Carnaval de Ponce
| observances =
| date = Week before Ash Wednesday
| date2019 = 27 February – 5 March
| date2020 = 23 February[https://www.facebook.com/NoticiasdePonceOficial/photos/pb.126798904000962.-2207520000../3275526402461514/?type=3&theater PONCE CELEBRARA SU TRADICIONAL CARNAVAL PONCEÑO.] Noticias de Ponce. 29 January 2020. Accessed 30 January 2020. {{efn|Due to seismic activity in the area, the Municipality shortened the 2020 Carnaval from 7 to 3 days.}}[https://www.facebook.com/NoticiasdePonceOficial/photos/a.660033687344145/3300816586599162/ CARNAVAL DE PONCE SE LLEVARÁ A CABO UN SOLO DIA,SERA EL DOMINGO 23 DE FEBRERO.] Carlos José Vázquez. 9 February 2020. Accessed 24 February 2020.{{efn|Update: Due to seismic activity concerns, the 2020 Carnival was further shortened from 3 days to a single day: 23 February 2020.}}
| date2021 = 13 – 16 February{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20210201143740/https://www.vocesdelsurpr.com/2021/02/carnaval-de-ponce-sera-rodante/ Carnaval de Ponce será rodante.]}} Voces del Sur.
1 February 2021. Accessed 1 February 2021.[https://periodicoelsolpr.com/2021/02/01/carnaval-ponceno-estrena-modalidad-rodante/ Carnaval Ponceño estrena modalidad “rodante”: La edición #163 del tradicional evento, se realizará de manera rodante, con el fin de impactar las comunidades de la Ciudad Señorial.] El Sol de Puerto Rico. 1 February 2021. Accessed 1 February 2021.
| celebrations = Parades, parties, dances, music, food
| longtype = Local, cultural
| type = Cultural
| significance =
| relatedto = Lent
| frequency = Annual
| duration = 7 days
| firsttime = 1858
| date2025 = 21 February – 4 March[https://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/ponce-carnival/ Ponce Carnival or Carnaval Ponceño will be Feb 21- March 4, 2025]
}}
The Carnaval de Ponce (English: Ponce Carnival), officially Carnaval Ponceño, is an annual celebration of the Carnival holiday held in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The celebration lasts one week, and like most observations of the holiday ends on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras Day, the day before Ash Wednesday). Thus, like the Carnival holiday in general, it is usually held in February and or March. It dates back to 1858.[http://www.letsgotoponce.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=81 Ponce Carnival Goes International In its 150th Anniversary Edition. Let's Go To Ponce.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311075721/http://letsgotoponce.com/index.php?id=155&itemid=81&option=com_content&task=view |date=11 March 2016 }} Ponce Carnival. Retrieved 12 April 2010. Some authorities, such as the Smithsonian Institution, believe the Ponce Carnaval can be traced to as far back as 250 years ago.[http://americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/pdf/puerto/carnival_dress.pdf A Puerto Rican Carnival: How to Dress for the Ponce Carnival; Introduction: What is a Carnival?] The Smithsonian Institution. 1993 and 2002. Accessed 1 February 2019. The Carnaval coincides with the Mardi Gras of New Orleans, the Carnival of Venice, and Rio de Janeiro's Carnival and hundreds of other places that observe this holiday around the world. The estimated attendance is 100,000.[http://www.answers.com/topic/carnival-de-ponce Attendance] Retrieved April 12, 2010. Scenes of the 2011 Carnaval Ponceño were featured in the Travel Channel on 7 August 2011.{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120731031852/http://www.elsuralavista.com/periodico/?p=41628 Carnaval Ponceño y escultura de arena por Travel Channel.]}} El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
History
There are no documents stating the official origin of the Carnaval, but there are documents mentioning the celebration as early as 1858.[http://www.periodicolaperla.com/activan-plan-de-seguridad-vial-para-el-carnaval-ponceno/ Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202190034/http://www.periodicolaperla.com/activan-plan-de-seguridad-vial-para-el-carnaval-ponceno/ |date=2 February 2018 }} La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2018.[http://www.periodicolaperla.com/activan-plan-de-seguridad-vial-para-el-carnaval-ponceno/ Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202190034/http://www.periodicolaperla.com/activan-plan-de-seguridad-vial-para-el-carnaval-ponceno/ |date=2 February 2018 }} La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.[http://www.visitponce.com/docs/sp/carnaval2013/index.html Carnaval, Carnval, Llego el Carnaval!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002104910/http://www.visitponce.com/docs/sp/carnaval2013/index.html |date=2 October 2013 }} El Señorial. Ponce Municipal Government. "Anuario: Carnaval Ponceño 2013." February–March 2013. Page 18. Retrieved 30 September 2013. The Carnaval de Ponce thus began in 1858 and was started as a mask dance by a Spaniard by the name of José de la Guardia.[http://www.arteagainteractivo.com/works/ponce/tradiciones.html Tradiciones de la Perla del Sur: Fiestas del Carnaval de Ponce.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620164955/http://www.arteagainteractivo.com/works/ponce/tradiciones.html |date=20 June 2012 }} Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Retrieved 7 July 2012.[http://www.periodicolaperla.com/mantienen-viva-la-tradicion-contra-viento-y-marea/ Mantienen viva la tradición carnavalesca.] Reinaldo Millán La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 24. Retrieved 6 February 2013. The masquerade dance continued as a tradition through the years, but it was not until the 1950s that the municipal government added the parade to the Carnaval.[http://www.arteagainteractivo.com/works/ponce/tradiciones.html Tradiciones de la Perla del Sur: Fiestas del Carnaval de Ponce.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620164955/http://www.arteagainteractivo.com/works/ponce/tradiciones.html |date=20 June 2012 }} Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Retrieved 7 July 2012. In the early 1960s, the Carnaval began to integrate floats that represented civic and cultural institutions, public and private residential communities, schools, colleges and universities, banking, industry and commerce.Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 91. The Office of Cultural Development of the Municipality of Ponce explains that “it is believed that the influence of the Nice Carnival extended to Barcelona and that immigrants from Barcelona brought it to Ponce. With the passing of time Poceans have added their own touches with Afro-Antillean music that fills the celebrations with percussion, rhythm and happiness."[https://www.elnuevodia.com/entretenimiento/cultura/nota/celebran160anosdelcarnavalenponce-2395673/ Celebran 160 años del carnaval en Ponce: Pese a los azotes y las vicisitudes por culpa del huracán María, los ponceños festejarán en grande.] Josefina Barceló Jiménez. El Nuevo Dia. Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. 4 February 2018. Accessed 15 February 2018.
In June 1995, Carnaval de Ponce was taken to New York City where, during the Puerto Rican Day Parade, over 200 entertainers, folk artists and musicians from Ponce, in addition to the Banda Municipal de Ponce and the Carnival's Queen and Child Queen, marched down New York's Fifth Avenue as part of that City's Puerto Rican Day Celebration. During the week leading to the Parade, folk artists from the Carnaval de Ponce, toured the City teaching children to make the traditional Ponce carnival's masks.Antonio R. Gomez and Margarita Diaz. Unmasking the Ponce Carnival. Daily News. New York, New York. Puerto Rican Day parade Special. 8 June 1995. In 2012, a local news weekly called Carnaval de Ponce "Puerto Rico's National Carnival".[http://www.periodicolaperla.com/activan-plan-de-seguridad-vial-para-el-carnaval-ponceno/ Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202190034/http://www.periodicolaperla.com/activan-plan-de-seguridad-vial-para-el-carnaval-ponceno/ |date=2 February 2018 }} La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
Costumes and masks
One of the traditions of the Carnaval is the appearance of the "vejigantes", which is a colorful costume traditionally representing the devil or evil. Vejigantes carry blown cow bladders with which they make sounds and hit carnival attendees throughout the processions.
The traditional vejigante masks of the Ponce carnival are made of paper mache and are characterized by the presence of multiple horns. The mask was developed by Ponce artisans in the early part of the 20th century. They are made from newsprint paper mixed with homemade glue and paint. Sophisticated Ponce carnival masks are sought after by mask collectors and masks from Ponce have become a symbol of Puerto Rico at large.Antonio R. Gomez and Margarita Diaz. Unmasking the Ponce Carnival. Daily News. New York, New York. Puerto Rican Day Parade Special Supplement. 8 June 1995.
The Carnaval ends with the Burial of the Sardine, at which point everyone sings a song in Spanish that translates into:[http://americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/pdf/puerto/carnival_dress.pdf The Smithsonian Institution. A Puerto Rican Carnival: How to Dress for the Ponce Carnival.] Retrieved April 12, 2010. The burial of the Sardine event started in 1967.Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 91. (The Ball Dance was also started in 1967.The burial of the Sardine event started in 1967.Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 91.
The Carnival is dead now
They are burying him;
Throw just a little dirt in
So he can rise again.
{{clear}}
Economics
The municipal government invests close to $100,000 in the Carnival and the event infuses some $500,000 into the city's economy.[http://www.periodicolaperla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4675:cierra-con-la-sonora-la-fiesta-del-carnaval&catid=119:articulos&Itemid=342 Cierra La Sonora el Carnaval Ponceño .] La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 28. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
List of events
The Carnaval starts on the Wednesday before Ash Wednesday, and the events are as follows.[http://www.visitponce.com/eventos.aspx#Month_2 Carnival Program] Retrieved April 12, 2010.[http://www.travelponce.com/Ponce-Carnival.html Travel Ponce] Retrieved April 12, 2010.
Wednesday: Vejigantes Party
Thursday: King Momo Entrance Parade
Friday: Crowning of the Child Queen
Saturday: Crowning of the Carnival Adult Queen
Sunday: Main Parade
Monday: Carnival's Ball Dance
Tuesday: Burial of the Sardine
See also
Notes
{{Noteslist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090301034710/http://www.studioporto.com/carnavaldeponce1/ Carnaval information] at StudioPorto
- [http://www.encarnaval.com/PuertoRico/carnavaldePonce.asp Carnaval information] at EnCarnaval.com
- [http://www.primerahora.com/noticia/isla_adentro/noticias/al_carnaval__de_ponce/272348 Al Carnaval de Ponce] at Primera Hora
- [http://www.mapr.org/webcast_educacion/toco_toco/carnaval_ponce.htm Carnaval information] at Puerto Rico Museum of Art
- [http://www.myspace.com/photosofpuertorico Slide show of the Carnival]
- [https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/11/travel/shopper-s-world-puerto-rican-carnival-masks.html SHOPPER'S WORLD; Puerto Rican Carnival Masks.] Mark Kurlansky. The New York Times. 1990. (NYT: News about masks, vegigantes, etc.)
{{Ponce, Puerto Rico|state=collapsed}}
{{Carnival around the world}}
{{Coord|18|0|00|N|66|37|00|W|region:US-PR|display=title}}
Category:Carnivals in Puerto Rico
Category:Annual events in Puerto Rico
Category:Recurring events established in 1858
Category:Festivals in Ponce, Puerto Rico