Citizens of El Salvador (Salvadoreños) will be enjoying their annual vacation period over the next week or so as the San Salvador patron saint celebrations take place in the nation’s capital city.
Officially the Fiestas Agostinas patron saint celebrations start on August 1st and end with a local San Salvador holiday on the 5th of August and a national statutory holiday on the 6th of August.
Most of El Salvador shuts down for the national holidays. During this time and most of August it’s not unusual to see more of their distinctive license plates on tour buses and private vehicles driving around Nicaragua.
The Fiestas Agostinas are the most important festivities in the country and although the official events take place in the capital, they are also celebrated nationally.
An estimated 1.6 million people of the 6.5 million total population of El Salvador live in the urban area of San Salvador, the nation’s capital city. Other parts of the country use the opportunity to take some vacation time of their own.
The patron saint festivities known as Fiestas Agostinas honor “Jesus Christ, the Divine Savior of the World, patron saint of San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador”.
They date back to 1528 and were originally of a civic, religious and military nature. However, they have evolved into a more popular carnival atmosphere.
Public employees, students and some private sector employees enjoy days off to attend the many events, especially on the 5th and 6th of August, the designated holidays.
Many residents of San Salvador (San Salvadorans) escape the crowds and travel out of the city to the tourist attractions and beaches or take a vacation to neighboring Central American countries.
Trivia: El Salvador has a total of 11 Statutory Holidays (one more than Nicaragua); New Year’s Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Labor Day, Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, San Salvador, Independence Day, All Saints Day and Christmas Day.
