What are the holidays of Granada, Nicaragua?

The most important holiday in Granada, Nicaragua is the 15th of December, which is the Virgen Maria Inmaculada, or, in English, the celebration of the Immaculation of the Virgin Mary. The Granadinos (the people of Granada) place an image of the Virgin Mary in front of the house. Everybody walks in the streets and sings to the Virgin Mary. The owners of the house give drinks and food to the people who walk and sing on the streets. 

 

The people who have...

The most important holiday in Granada, Nicaragua is the 15th of December, which is the Virgen Maria Inmaculada, or, in English, the celebration of the Immaculation of the Virgin Mary. The Granadinos (the people of Granada) place an image of the Virgin Mary in front of the house. Everybody walks in the streets and sings to the Virgin Mary. The owners of the house give drinks and food to the people who walk and sing on the streets. 

 

The people who have faith in the Virgin Mary bring out small statues of the Virgin. They take the statute outside, they put some flowers and lights, and the people in the street stop at that house. Everybody sings and prays. After that, the owner of the house gives out drinks and some candies that are also local. They do it all night; from 5 PM until midnight.

 

Everybody joins the celebration; even expats. Also people from other parts of Nicaragua come to Granada, and not just the locals. It’s very beautiful how the people make the arrangement for the Virgin, and the overall celebration. 

 

Another day that’s very important in Granada is the 15th of August, which is the celebration called El Tope. This is a celebration for people who own horses. They walk on the streets with their beautiful horses and they dance on the streets. There are a lot of horses and a lot of carriages, which are arranged with people who are inside, dancing. It’s like a Mardi Gras but with horses or a parade with horses and carriages.

 

El Tope also happens in the capital but it’s celebrated on different dates than it is in Granada. We also celebrate the Virgin Mary in Managua but it’s on the 8th of December. 

 

(Pictured: Dancing horse in Nicaragua.)