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Palmares Festival Kicks
Off Thursday
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Palmares Festival Kicks
Off Thursday
With less than three
days to go, Palmares is
getting ready for its
annual festival that
kicks off Thursday,
January 17, with more
than 250 members of the
Fuerza Pública (police),
150 Red Cross workers
and 100 Tránsito
officials being assigned
to watch over the
thousands expected to
visit the festivities
that will run for 12
days.
According Wilberth
Vásquez, chief of the
Fuerza Pública in
Palmares, his detachment
is made of up of 70
officers, however,
during the Palmares
Festival, officers are
being dispatched from
other centres to beef up
security, especially
during the "Tope" (the
horse parade) and the "carnaval"
(the parade).
The Cruz Roja (Red
Cross) in on hand to
attend to any emergency.
Last year, Red Cross
workers attended to more
than 2.000 people
ranging from medical
problems, work related
incidents and traffic
accidents.
The Asociación Cívica
Palmareña, the
organizers of the
festival, said that the
finishing touches to the
25"chinamos" (food
stands) are underway, as
well as the 10 megabars
that are all part of the
entertainment.
The Policía de Tránsito
have the responsibility
to ensure safety on the
roads leading into and
out of Palmares and will
be setting up spot
checks along the major
routes, including the
Interamericana.
Last year of the 200
breathalyzer tests the
Policía de Tránsito
officials performed, 60
of the drivers were
drunk behind the wheel.
In addition, Tránsito
officials issued 1.900
traffic tickets during
the festival,
confiscating 25 license
plates and 10 drivers
licenses.
The goal this year to
reduce the numbers from
last year and as such
Germán Marín, head of
the Policía de Tránsito,
said there will be a
"zero tolerance" policy
in effect.
The Palmares Festival is
believed by many to be
well organized and full
of entertainment, better
than the annual Zapote
Fair in San José.
Many Costa Ricans prefer
the Palmares Festival
over San José as they
feel more secure.
The Festival is also an
economic boom to the
local residents, some
renting out their patios
to the chinamos for
thousands of dollars for
the event.
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