The Festival Nacional de la Mejorana, held in the town of Guararé, is the largest and most important folkloric festival in Panama. Founded in 1949 by Manuel Fernando Zarate, it takes place within the patron saint festivities of the Virgin of Las Mercedes and gathers folkloric delegations from every province of the country to celebrate and preserve the nation's traditions.
The festival takes its name from the mejoranera, a small five-string guitar central to the region's music. Over several days visitors can enjoy competitions of typical singing, decima improvisation, tamborito and cumbia dances, oxcart parades adorned with flowers, displays of the pollera and montuno dress, and demonstrations of rural crafts and customs. It is a genuine encyclopedia of Panamanian folklore brought to life.
For anyone wishing to understand the soul of Panama, the Mejorana is essential. It is a heartfelt tribute to the countryside, its music, its dances and its people, and remains the reference point around which the entire national folklore calendar revolves.
