 |
COSTA RICA |
| |
Festival De Luz On Saturday
Saturday evening San José comes to life with
the traditional annual "Festival de la Luz"
(Light Festival), perhaps the most popular
and most attended of all festivals of the
year.
For 2009 the major concern, aside from
providing security for the some 1 million
plus expected to attend the event, is
precaution for the spread of the AH1N1 virus
although cases of the virus have dropped
since the first wave to hit Costa Rica,
health officials are on guard for the coming
of the second wave that is expected this
month.
Another major change this year is a "zero
tolerance" to alcohol use.
Jorge Villalobos, coordinator of the
Festival de la Luz, said that for the first
time in history the Municipalidad de San
José will not tolerate the consumption of
alcohol on the streets, as has been a
tradition of the past. Villalobos explained
that excempt from the zero tolerance are
licensed restaurants that have outdoor
patios or balconies.
The Festival de la Luz starts at dusk on
Saturday when the floats and enteratiners
will head off from the Christmas tree on the
east side of the Sabana park, move along
Paseo Colón, onto Avenida Segunda and end at
the Plaza de la Democracia.
Villalobos said that the fireworks show, a
major activity at the start of the festival,
is still on hold, waiting permission from
the ministerio de Salud. Villalobos
explained that Salud officials are still
reviewing the permit application and sees no
reason why it would be denied.
For his part, San José mayor, Johnny Araya,
said that the AH1N1 is a concern but there
is no call for alarm, confident that the
advice of the ministerio de Salud is
sufficient to protect the public.
As to the alcohol ban, Araya was clear that
it hurts no one, the festival is a family
affair and there is no place for drinking in
the streets.
More than 1.600 police officers will be on
hand along the parade route, plus 150
Tránsito (traffic) officials to control
traffic.
Some of the companies entering floats in the
parade are Más X Menos, Florida Bebidas (Cerveceria),
BCR, ICT, Coca Cola and Recope. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
