local celebration:

CHINITA¨S FAIR is the name of a festival of religious origin which takes place every year for three days, from 17 to 19 November in the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo and spreads to other parts of Zulia State. In this celebration commemorates the miracleof the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, which is the patron of Zulia state, whosecelebration is observed by the Holy Catholic Church every November 18.

Tradition relates that, on the shores of Lake Maracaibo appeared a little board that he found an old woman who took her home. Trancurridos few days, November 18, 1709, the old woman heard several knocks on the wall of his home on which hung the small table. At first ignored these blows, but as they were becoming more insistent, he decided to approach the place from which came the shock and realized that on the surface of the tablet had appeared the image of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá and she sprang from bright light. Given this phenomenon, the old woman went out and started shouting: "Miracle, miracle. This celebration, called Feria de La Chinita is done for 43 years mainly in Maracaibo,Zulia state capital and home to the Basilica de la Chinita, resting place of the famouslittle board with the image of the Virgin.Every second week of November Maracaibo it lights up, bursts into singing the traditional bagpipe as a prelude to Christmas and the merry Christmas Eve, the first Friday in November, one of the most important avenues in Maracaibo, Bella Vista Avenue is decorated and lighted in dramatically and surprisingly, carried out in this way the lights Lighting Bella Vista Avenue, which is more than the decoration of one of the main arteries of Maracaibo. Usually done with Christmas, although in recent years have seen proposals ranging from a small subway system in motion (with clear reference to being built in the city) to size scale model of the Basilica (made entirely of sand ) or the Bridge over Lake Maracaibo.The lights, the great decorations, environment, music (you never know where it comes from) alternated between traditional and popular reggaeton bagpipes, food, people, pleasure, the joy it brings the trip possible foot or by car, can at times forget the pressure, put aside concerns and differences, living in community, gay and festive air.This event, although Christmas is more than fair, opens with many musical groups and bustle, so that after the last Sunday in October, when low virgin altar of the Basilica, it becomes the event " encourages the spirit "before the show. These festivities begin with the lighting of lamps and covers more than a week of festivities that include Masses, processions and together with the formal schedule and religious activities are popular events and mass are the Fair. It made the grand gala of beauty (beauty contest that allows the sovereign choice to be the queen of the fair throughout the year, broadcasted by Venevision through its Sabado Sensacional) as well as other elections of queens Child Fair, parades of floats and, of cultural, sports such as baseball games, exhibitions, presentation of international artists and bands, dance nights and private sites in the city, sunrise pipers, handicraft and agricultural exhibitions, the famous tailing bulls and the bullfights at the Monumental de Maracaibo, to the north.



The celebrations in honor of the Chinita, ceased to be the modest festivities of the past to acquire the international characteristics of celebration of great complexity at the confluence of religious and popular events, all gathered under the name gives the International Fair of the Chinita. What makes great Fair of La Chinita is a mixture of major events and performances and humorous, witty character of Maracaibo is definitely the soul of the festival in November and encouraging locals and visitors. To date, it has been doing a series of traditions that are:

	Election of the Queen of the Fair and Orchid Festival: On Saturday before the day of the Virgin, say November 18, Maracaibo is performed in a special edition of TV's Saturday Sensational, where you choose the Queen of the Fair La Chinita, in a production that alternates with the so-called Orchid Festival. The latter is an award for public acclaim, artists or bands that are presented with trophies, which are categorized in: diamond, platinum, gold, silver and bronze.That is to say that diamond is the most senior and lower brass.
	Fair Parade: Annually at 77th Street, better known as Maracaibo July 5. Shown in this parade floats made primarily by governmental and private sector, groups of other states and even abroad, and instrumental bands. As an act in any public way, is one of the free events, like turning on lights, that most appeals to audiences of all ages.
	Bullfighting Festival: For four days in November, where at least one date coincides with the day of the Virgin, is carried out so-called Bullfighting, which present a lineup of national and international bullfighters.
	Piper Dawn / Amanecer de Feria: La Gaita, Zulia pace usually associated with Christmas time, it sounds more strongly than any time in November this year.As old-fashioned, the night before the Chinita, comes a vigil in honor of the Virgin. Some prefer it to the sound of a serenade at the entrance of the Basilica, others distance themselves from the religious side and opt for a sunrise or Fair Piper. The difference between these, as its title mentions it, lies in the type of music offered. While in the Dawn Piper is positioned as the bagpipe player, alternating with a musical group or artist of another sort, the Dawn of the Fair is quite the contrary, enhances danceable rhythms, tropical and presentation template is not necessarily a international name. Moreover, there are shows fair dawn offered by clubs and hotels with a certain price, and is the two-lane alternative platforms in the area generally located Grano de Oro de Maracaibo, which being sponsored by national brewers, are free programming for those who decide to go. Trade Shows: For being a month before the holidays, trade shows look like an attractive alternative for the Feria de la Chinita. Places like Expozulia located Grano de Oro Hotel and exhibitions of Lake Maracaibo and Military Circle, appear to be more traditional, although in recent years, new spaces. Here are imposed on the proposed local, national and even international, mostly from Colombia. The celebrations in honor of La Chinita paralyze the work of the Zulia. From 17 until 19 November, the bullfights, the sunrise pipers, the procession of the planchette and the traditional baseball game Nov. 18, join the people of Maracaibo in an atmosphere of celebration that marks the beginning of the Christmas in the region. The festivities begin on 17 with a bullfight, followed by Dawn Piper, party where they play all night, groups of bagpipes and other music for dancing until dawn. After dawn, is a typical breakfast usually includes cakes, pies, and yoyos mandoc giving the energy to continue the party. On November 18, day of the celebration of the Fair, is official pontifical Mass and the procession short. At the same time develops the game of baseball cup Virgen de la Chinita, very popular sport for fans of Zulia, which meets (after a long night of partying) to give encouragement and support of the Eagles baseball team of Zulia. In the afternoon, take another bullfight, in addition to parties outside the church San Juan de Dios, also called the Basilica de la Chinita where, after the procession of the image, bagpipe groups are singing to her employer . The 19 is made one last run that ends with this fair, once a year, further exacerbating the spirit Zulia. A week following the procession of the morning and she takes the image of the basilica at 3:00 am, to get along with his people on the street. Finally, on Sunday following the Virgin up to the altar.