Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo

View on map
Carnival & ParadeLas Tablas
DatesDates TBA · Usually FebruaryCheck locally before booking
DurationAnnualEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forMasks, paradesLas Tablas hosts what is widely considered
Language["es"]Currency: PAB
CategoryCarnival & ParadeFestival type
The story

Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo in Las Tablas

The Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo are the rival street factions at the heart of Las Tablas carnival, each fielding a carnival queen, decorated floats and crowds of costumed followers who compete over five nights to outdo the other in music, spectacle and fireworks.

Panamanian carnival runs four days before Ash Wednesday, opening Friday night with the coronation of a carnival queen and closing at six in the morning on Ash Wednesday with a ritual called the entierro de la sardina, the burial of the sardine.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Las Tablas hosts what is widely considered the most intense version of a rivalry found across small-town Panamanian carnivals nationwide: the city splits entirely into two geographic factions, Calle Arriba, uptown, and Calle Abajo, downtown, each built around its own street, its own carnival queen and princesses, and a crowd of committed followers, or tunas, who parade nightly trying to outshine the other side through spectacle, music and fireworks rather than through any judged competition with a formal scorecard

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

A carnival tradition dividing the town into two rival street factions

Water and renewal

Living ritual

Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo

The sacred route

Living ritual

each with its own queen

The local code

Living ritual

float caravan and body of costumed followers called a tuna

Tradition 5

Living ritual

competing nightly through the pre-Lenten carnival season and culminating in El Topón at dawn on Ash Wednesday

Tradition 6

Living ritual

a broader pattern found in many Panamanian interior towns but most famously and intensely expressed in Las Tablas

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually February

Getting around

For Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo, plan transport around the exact Las Tablas venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Light, quick-drying clothing is essential given the daytime culecos, when water trucks soak crowds in the streets; footwear that can get wet and muddy is more practical than anything...

Safety

Keep valuables light, set a meeting point, and give processions room to move.

Where to stay

For Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo, stay near the part of Las Tablas you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Many carnival moments are public, but confirm paid areas or stands before travel.

Language/currency

["es"] · PAB

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map7.77 N, 80.28 WOpen in Google Maps

Las Tablas, Los Santos, Panama

Nearest airportCTD — Alonso Valderrama
TransportFor Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo, plan transport around the exact Las Tablas venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo, stay near the part of Las Tablas you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Las Tablas via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Las Tablas, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for February.Compare faresFestival gearLight, quick-drying clothing is essential given the daytime culecos, when water trucks soak crowds in the streets; footwear that can get wet and muddy is more practical than anything delicate, and costume or carnival-themed dress is common among active participants.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Panama and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo?

Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo is listed for February. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Festival de Tunas de Calle Arriba y Calle Abajo take place?

The festival is listed in Las Tablas, Panama. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Annual is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Needs editorial review. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Las Tablas, Los Santos, Panama

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLAwaiting confirmation
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually February
Source statusNeeds editorial review
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