National Pollera Festival

The National Pollera Festival is one of Panama's most elegant and moving celebrations, dedicated to preserving and honoring the pollera, the majestic national dress that is a symbol of Panamanian identity. Held every July in Las Tablas, Los Santos province, the festival brings together women of all ages and regions who wear hand-embroidered polleras with exquisite designs of flowers, butterflies, and geometric motifs. Each pollera can take months or even years to make, with values exceeding $5,000 for the most elaborate ones. Participants complement their attire with traditional gold jewelry called tembleques, hair combs, and chains. The event includes parades, pollera competitions, folk dances such as the tamborito and el punto, and performances of típica music with accordion, drums, and guitars.