Latin Parade attracts nearly 120,000 spectators, organizers claim

In vibrant colors and cultural costumes, approximately 50 local and foreign groups took part in the “Parade through Macao, Latin City” that spanned several streets of the region yesterday.

In celebration of the 17th anniversary of the territory’s handover to China, the parade’s motto was “An Annual Celebration for the Entire City – VIVA” and was themed “VIVA’s Adventures through Shan Hai.”

The parade, which comprised of nearly 1,200 participants, featured performances such as Cantonese opera, martial arts and theatre performances, as well as folk, traditional and oriental dance.

On parade day, VIVA crossed the time gate at Largo da Companhia de Jesus, taking off from the Ruins of St. Paul’s, along with performing groups from Latin-speaking countries and other regions, as well as local talents.

The parade featured various activities such as a photography contest that invited residents to participate and capture the highlights of the event.

This year’s parade was also organized on the same day as the “2016 Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon” and the opening ceremony of the “Macao Light Festival 2016,” which was held in the evening.

According to the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the governmental departments of the cultural, sports and tourism areas cooperated in a bid to “develop a synergistic effect.”

Meanwhile, the Indian Cultural Association of Macau, which joined the parade for the fifth consecutive time, performed an Indian fusion-themed dance – featuring contemporary, Bollywood and gypsy dances.

The association’s president, Victor Kumar, told the Times: “Year by year we see a lot of colors and a lot of cultures. Macau is good place to be for the artists to bring the spirit [of] joy.”

When asked about the new elements the association had witnessed in the 2016 parade, Kumar noted the vibrancy of the new features and sculptures brought by the groups from Europe.

Another participating group from Panama who joined the local parade for the third time remarked, “We love the energy. […] We always make new friends [and] it is always a pleasure to come [as] the music and energy is great.”

As previously reported, the parade has a MOP15 million budget, a decrease of MOP1 million compared with last year’s show.

IC president Ung Vai Meng told TDM that this year’s parade attracted nearly 120 thousand residents and visitors.