Feria del Sol
The Feria del Sol ( Sun Festival ), also known as Carnaval Taurino de América ( America's Bull Carnival ), is a cultural festival that takes place annually in Mérida , Venezuela .
activities
The festival takes place during the month of February together with the carnival . In addition to the cattle market, the program includes numerous cultural and commercial exhibitions, as well as concerts , parades , sporting activities and the election of the Reina del Sol , the sun queen .
history
After the construction of a bullring, festivities and exhibitions could take place around the bullfighting . It was initially planned that the exhibitions should take place in early December around the celebrations of the Immaculate Conception Day. The first fair took place over two days on December 9th and 10th. Manuel Benítez ("El Cordobés") came to the bullfights . Due to heavy rain, the first day of the fight was canceled and postponed to the next day, so that for the first time in Venezuela two bullfights took place in the same place and day.
Because of the constant December rain, it was decided to celebrate the festival together with Carnival. Under the name “Feria del Sol” it was celebrated for the first time in 1969 on February 15th, 16th and 17th with three bullfights. From then on, the festival grew increasingly into one of the most important in Venezuela and the bullfighting world.
Web links
Feria del Sol website (Spanish)