What route will Guatemala’s September 15 school parade take?

Guatemala’s traditional civic school parade will return on September 15 after a two-year suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The parade is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to noon through Guatemala City’s Historic Center as part of celebrations marking the country’s 205th anniversary of independence. It will begin at 7th Avenue and 18th Street in Zone 1, with the bands heading toward Jocotenango Park in Zone 2.

The procession will move along 18th Street before joining 8th Avenue. It will then pass the frontispiece of the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace of Culture, before merging onto 6th Avenue and continuing toward the park.

Authorities expect 130 school bands to participate, organized into 10 blocks according to the type of band. The groups will include traditional bands, war bands, marching bands, Latin bands and ensembles from state institutions. Traffic agents are expected to regulate vehicles and help keep roads orderly.

The day’s official events will end with the lowering of the national flag at 5:45 p.m. in Constitution Plaza.