September 21 is a big day for Argentinean students: they celebrate both their day and the beginning of spring. According to a long-standing tradition, they get together in a park and have a picnic that lasts all day long. Unfortunately, because of the instability of the changing weather, it’s either rainy or chilly but rarely sunny.
Spring in Buenos Aires
In the past, music-minded youngsters played the guitar and sang popular songs. Nowadays, they attend raves and concerts. This year, local authorities organized concerts in public parks in the city of Buenos Aires and the Ministry of Health offered advice of sex education, smoking, eating disorders and oral health. Unfortunately, there is drinking and disorderly conduct, which is to be expected when hundreds of young people get together in party mode.
In the province of Jujuy they go all-out in a two-week celebration. The Fiesta Nacional de los Estudiantes (Students’ Festival) has been held since 1949. There all kinds of activities, from float parades to sporting competitions to the crowning of the Queen of Students. There are big celebrations around the country as well: every county and province also chooses their Spring Queen in preparation for the nation-wide competition in Jujuy.
Los Bosques de Palermo, Buenos Aires largest park and epicenter of the spring celebrations
Read more:
Rites of Autumn: The US Midwest in the fall
Martisor and the celebration of Spring in Romania
Camila O’Gorman and Argentina’s version of Romeo and Juliet
