Sunday, September 19, 2010
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Winners of local cueca championships dancing before the parade. Image: Diego Grez.
The Instrumental Band of Pichilemu (Banda Instrumental de Pichilemu) performing during the parade. Image: Diego Grez.
Authorities of Pichilemu, in the Parade main stage. Image: Diego Grez.
A boat of Agrupación de Pescadores Artesanales de Pichilemu (Association of Fishermen of Pichilemu) also participated on the parade. The fishermen lost their boats and fishing creek during the February 27 earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Image: Diego Grez.
Jorge Vargas González, former Mayor of Pichilemu and proprietary of Radio Somos Pichilemu attended the event. Image: Diego Grez.
The Civic Parade of Pichilemu took place on Saturday morning, in Daniel Ortúzar Avenue. The event was attended by around 9,000 people. It started with an exhibition of cueca, the Chilean national dance, by winners of communal and regional Cueca championships.
All the schools from urban Pichilemu and its rural villages participated in the parade, including La Aguada School, Espinillo Basic School, Cáhuil School, Charly’s School, Colegio Preciosa Sangre, Agustín Ross High School, Digna Camilo Aguilar School, and others. Neighborhood councils (such as Infiernillo, presided by Mauricio Vargas), elderly clubs, sport clubs (such as Arturo Prat and Independiente), the Public Safety Agency and the Fire Bureau also participated. The Parade music was performed by Banda Instrumental Pichilemina (Pichileminian Instrumental Band).
The parade is part of celebrations marking two hundred years since Chile began the Independence process, that ended in 1818 after Bernardo O’Higgins proclaimed it.
“This parade shows the power that the Pichileminian people has to stand again [after the February 27 earthquake],” Mayor of Pichilemu Roberto Córdova said. “It is the greatest parade in the History of Pichilemu,” he added.
The event was broadcast by the local radio stations Entre Olas, Atardecer and Somos Pichilemu. Jorge Vargas González, owner of Radio Somos Pichilemu and former Mayor of the city also attended the event, along with his wife Andrea Aranda, current Councillor.