The National Day of the Sun (''Fiesta Nacional del Sol'' in Spanish) is an annual celebration of nature that takes place in the
City of San Juan and other locations in the
San Juan province,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, usually during the month of February. It gives a sample itinerary of economic activities, customs, characters and historical events of the province.
It also highlights include a beauty contest, which elects the National Queen of the Sun and the Sun Virreina, candidates representing each of the nineteen departments of the province. The queen is chosen, and eventually Virreina, representing the province for one year, attending to other provincial and national holidays as well as tourism fairs and events to promote the province.
History
The first Fiesta del Sol was held in 1972. It was devised by the Director of Tourism of the Province of San Juan,
Guillermo Barrena Guzmán
Guillermo () is the Spanish form of the male given name William. The name is also commonly shortened to 'Guille' or, in Latin America, to nickname 'Memo'. People
* Guillermo Amor (born 1967), Spanish football manager and former player
* Guillermo A ...
. In 1993, by resolution of the Secretaria de Turismo de la Nación, the festival it became a national''becoming the "National Day of the Sun.''
Schedule
La Fiesta Nacional del Sol, is carried out on different days and locations of the province. Normally extends over five days with exhibitions, fairs, parades and floats, and so on.
Gastronomy Fair
The gastronomic fair runs over three days, is done within the boundaries of the fair
City of San Juan, located on the ground of the former railway station Belgrano. There are exhibition stand of agricultural and industrial enterprises provincial and national departments of tourism and performance of music bands every night, at national and provincial level.
Carrusel del Sol
The carousel of the sun, is a parade in which each department of the province introduced the floats decorated with motifs of landscapes, economic potential, legends, customs and characters of each region. Besides the carriages parade in Queens that
department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
in this way show their beauty with a view to future national election of the queen of the sun and flowing through the central streets of the city.
This event is followed by nearly 100,000 spectators who are located at the edges of streets and sidewalks and they were presented with gifts that are thrown from the floats, such as fruit or some present.
The departments participating in the parade of the carousel from the sun are:
*
Albardón Department
Albardón () is a department of the San Juan Province (Argentina). It is located in the center south of the same, which emphasizes a desert landscape with mountains and numerous plantations, highlighting the presence of prestigious wineries know ...
*
Angaco Department
Angaco is a department of the province of San Juan
(Argentina). It is located in the center east of the province, especially in a desert landscape with mountains. Characterized by their remarkable wine production
Toponymy
Angaco home means Ara ...
*
Calingasta Department
Calingasta is a department of the province of San Juan (Argentina). It is the southwestern corner of the province, which is predominantly a landscape of mountains and rivers. It is characterized by its production of apples and by tourism, mainly in ...
*
Capital Department
*
Caucete Department
*
Chimbas Department
*
Iglesia Department
Iglesia is a department of the province of San Juan Province (Argentina), San Juan, Argentina. It is located in the northwest mountainous corner of this province with substantial vegetation. Iglesia is one of the most visited departments in the pr ...
*
Jachal Department
*
Nueve de Julio Department
*
Pocito Department
Pocito is a department in San Juan Province, Argentina. It is located to the south of the city of San Juan, and is predominantly agricultural, the principal products being grapes and olives. It has a string of prestigious wineries that make up th ...
*
Rawson Department
*
Rivadavia Department
*
San Mrtin Department
*
Santa Lucia Department
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...
*
Sarmiento Department
*
Ullum Department
*
Valle Fértil Department
Valle Fértil is a department of the province of San Juan (Argentina). Characterized by highly fertile landscapes and contains the Ischigualasto Provincial Park, also known as the ''Valley of the Moon'', which is visited by tourists from around th ...
*
Veinticinco de Mayo Department
*
Zonda Department
Zonda Department (Spanish: ''Departamento Zonda'') is an administrative department of San Juan Province in Argentina. Zonda is located in the south of the province, bordered by Ullum Department to the north, Sarmiento Department to the south, C ...
Final show
This event is an impressive show of light and sound, with between 800 and 1000 artists on stage.
Both the libretto and the staging of the event are always based in San Juan, emphasizing
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
, the main economic activity, as well as the customs and historical events of the province.
At the end, or at the beginning as the protocol is the election of the Queen, who is crowned Queen Outgoing. The show ends with an impressive fireworks display, which for nearly 40 minutes with dancing and music.
References
External links
Fiesta Nacional del Sol website
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Day Of The Sun
Cultural festivals in Argentina
February observances
Tourist attractions in San Juan Province, Argentina
Folk festivals in Argentina
Arts festivals in Argentina
Autumn events in Argentina