La Chorrera Celebrates Five Years of Tradition with Bollo and Chicheme Festival

The town of La Chorrera is alive with tradition as it hosts the fifth annual Festival Folclórico del Bollo y Chicheme Chorrerano. Held at the El Chorro Tourist Complex from May 28 to 31, the event is dedicated to preserving the rich gastronomic heritage and customs of the region.

Milena Yasmiciel Obando Flores, the festival's queen, emphasized the event's core mission: to rescue and highlight the traditions unique to La Chorrera. This year's festival introduces new elements, including workshops on crafting the "gran diablo" mask and folk gatherings featuring performance groups from across Panama. These additions aim to enrich the cultural experience for attendees.

A major draw is "la gran bollada," an interactive session where visitors can learn the complete process of making the traditional "bollo preñado" from scratch. The Nuñez Ricardo family, key organizers, are passionate about preventing these culinary customs from fading. They actively involve visitors in every step, from grinding the corn masa to cooking the filled corn dough, which participants can take home for free.

The festival also includes a "gran paseo folclórico," a folkloric parade expected to feature indigenous groups from Panama's interior. This parade serves to honor and showcase the deep-rooted origins of these cherished traditions, ensuring they are passed on to future generations. The event celebrates the vibrant cultural identity of La Chorrera.

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the festival has as its main purpose to rescue and highlight our traditions as chorreranos.