PANCHIMALCO, El Salvador—Hundreds gathered this past weekend to celebrate the annual Festival of Flowers and Palms in the town of Panchimalco, located in the department of San Salvador.
Held annually during the first weekend of May, the festival celebrates the Virgin Mary and ushers in the country’s rainy season. In addition to the religious procession that culminates in a Mass, the event involves all-day celebrations, dancing, music and food.
Thousands of brightly colored palms and flowers and the blending of Catholic and indigenous traditions make the festival one of El Salvador’s most striking.
All photos by Beatriz Rivas
Beatriz Rivas studied photography at the Technological University of El Salvador and completed her studies in Marketing. She lives in El Salvador, where she develops her work as a photojournalist and videographer. Her work currently focuses on the world of communication and the creation of multimedia content, where she mainly offers her photography and video services to prestigious companies in El Salvador.