Coamo’s Patron Saints Festival 2012

I took the opportunity this year to check out the local ‘Fiestas Patronales 2012’ on Saturday.  It was staged this year on the plaza of Coamo.  It’s a prelude to the San Blas Half Marathon, this coming weekend.  In fact, this will be the 50th anniversary of the Marathon.  I expect it to be a major ‘blow-out’.

Coamo has been getting ready for the 50th Annual Marathon since last year’s marathon ended.  They have even painted new 50th Anniversary kilometer markers in the road.

As I’ve harped on before about Puerto Rico’s obsession with Christmas, the partying in Coamo will not stop until after the Marathon concludes next Sunday.  In fact, Coamo has 2 Patron Saints where most towns only have one.

They are la Virgen del Candelaria and San Blas de Illescas.

The first Patron Saints Festival was a very local affair, staged in the plaza and did not start until dusk.  I love late evening light as well as dusk.  It adds a nice glow to everything.  I drove to the plaza, just before 6PM so parking was no issue.  Evening Mass got out about 6:30PM, just as the sun was fading.  Street lights kicked on, shortly after that.

There was not much of a crowd before Mass got out.

All of the amusement rides were set-up and ready to go… I have to say, I was quite surprised how they were crammed into Baldorioty Street (Highway 150), just off the plaza.  There was less than a few feet clearance on either side of several rides.  Did not seem safe to me, but what the hey!  It did not seem to bother anyone else.

I used the lull before the formal presentation to walk the plaza and shoot a few things.

The plaza incorporates a dedicated sound stage area.   A crew was busy getting that ready for later on.

The plaza of Coamo is a mix of newly renovated structures, things in the process of renovation and structures in bad need of renovation.  Which is pretty typical of most small towns in Puerto Rico.

The grounds of the plaza, the Catholic church and Alcaldia (Mayor’s office) are absolutely beautiful.

The main eyesore ‘was’ Casa Bernier.  It is going to be ‘renovated’ into Hotel Posada San Blas.  The sign sez it will cost $3.5 million to do, but I could not tell if that was a total cost or the cost of Phase 2.  Either way, this is a good thing.  The old structure was a decaying mess.

Another interesting development, just off the plaza is a new movie theater.  Construction/renovation started just after I moved to Coamo.  They are still months off from being done, but it looks to be a very nice addition to Coamo’s downtown.  I look forward to checking it out out when it’s done.

Back to the event of the evening…

There was a smattering of Artesanos set-up on the plaza as well as food and drink vendors.  The folks selling crafts made from bamboo were pretty cool.  I also ran into my friend and Artesano, Orlando who had a booth of his own.  He attends most local events and I’ve seen him at many.  There were also 2 vendors running ‘games of chance’.  I remember seeing these mechanical type race horses at the state fair in Texas as a kid (before moving to Alaska).  Kind of like the forerunner to the ‘Wheel of Fortune’.  I did score one good shot of an operator before the sun set.

While killing time before the main event, I bought an espresso from one of the permanent kiosks on the plaza.  75 cents got me a double shot of the good stuff.  It burned my tongue on the first sip.  I should have known better.

But it was real good!

Just before the formal presentation it lightly rained twice sending some folks for cover.  As quickly as it started it was over.

By 8PM, the plaza was packed.

A couple of guys in suits introduced themselves and then they introduced the Mayor of Coamo, Juan Garcia Padilla. The Mayor read a formal declaration regarding the ‘Fiestas Patronales 2012’.  After that, the Banda Bajo Tierra band took to the stage.  They were great!  I hung around for their first song, but still needed to get shots of the kids on rides.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, the rides were squeezed into a street off the plaza.

All the rides were busy now.. it truly felt like a thriving carnival.  I always like shooting folks shooting other folks.  Kind of like watching those watching others.  In hindsight, I should have got on the ‘Tilt-a-Whirl’.  I could have got some pretty cool shots that way.  I’ve ridden it before and loved it!

The party in the plaza was still going strong when I left at 9:30PM… Being Saturday, I’m sure it was just getting started.

Please Note: There are several larger images from the ‘Fiestas Patronales 2012’ event on my Facebook Page.  If you tag faces with names, I’ll correct this post with them as well.  Also, if you see any errors, please let me know

Next week- the 50th Anniversary of the San Blas Half Marathon of Coamo.  A party you have to see to believe.