Earthship Pitaya Festival Music Update
Pitaya Festival – Music Updates
The Carizal Earthship Pitaya Festival is rapidly approaching. The organizers have added some great music to the lineup since our last post about the festival. Here is the latest:
Papa Bantam and Kali Boom with Bluefields Soundsystem
Backed by the full sound of Caribbean Taste they will be presenting music from the new album “Bluefields School of Music”.
Division Urbana
Formed in 1997, Division Urbana released their first single in 1999. Since then they have established themselves as the premier rock band in Nicaragua. We welcome them back for the 2nd consecutive Pitaya Festival.
Matty Powell
“An unwavering, powerful voice matched only by his potent lyrics and beautiful, simple melodies, Matty Powell’s songs speak directly to the heart. Watching him perform is an intimate and interactive experience that has left many audiences around the world wanting more.”
Liquidiamond
“An internationally renowned artist and DJ who calls Nicaragua home. She has put together an all encompassing performance where sound, image and dance come together in unison at full moon. This show is unique to the festival and an experience you won’t want to miss.”
DJ Johnny G
A former Tennis pro turned D.J., Johnny G. started his career in the Caribbean but has toured all through North America. His style? “I’ll play whatever I have to to make a party happen, though mash-ups and dance hall are my favourites”. The perfect DJ to finish off the festival, he’ll keep us dancing as the full moon rises. So be sure to bring your dancing shoes.
Don Bigote y Los Pobrecitos
“One of San Juan’s favorite groups, they play an eclectic mix of Country, Rumba, Reggae, Pop rock and Nicaraguan music! With guest appearances by Carlos Canales, Matty Powell and many more, these guys will definitely get you dancing”.
The Jam Project
Happy New Year everyone! And even though it is just a symbolic way of dividing up the time in our lives, each new years brings us the opportunity to reflect on the past and set goals for the future. One of our missions here at San Juan del Sur Guide has always been to promote and educate about sustainable tourism and development in Nicaragua. Sustainability is key to a healthy future for the environment, economy and local community and we are looking forward to taking this mission to a whole new level in 2011.
To kick things off, I wanted to fill you in a local San Juan del Sur project that really stands out -The Jam Project. Started by the folks at El Carizal, a sustainable community outside of San Juan del Sur, The Jam Project makes and sells jam from locally grown, seasonal, organic fruit in flavors like apple, guava, pitaya, pineapple and tamarindo.
The project, also know as “Condimentos del Carizal”, is a cooperative effort which is owned and operated by the women in the Carizal community. They grow the fruit, manage the business, make, package and sell the jams. Efforts are funded by local sales and by the Pitaya Festival, a music, art, sports and sustainability even which is takes place every February on the grounds of El Carizal. See our article on the Pitaya Festival for more information.
All of the proceeds from jam sales go directly to the “Condimentos Del Carizal”, with the eventual goal of building a community health clinic and commercial kitchen for further condiment preparation and distribution. Together the women in the community have opened a bank account and are currently saving money to achieve these goals.
You can support the El Carizal community by purchasing the co-op’s home-made jam. Jam is for sale in San Juan del Sur at: El Gato Negro, Pan de Vida, Pau Hana and several local pulperias (convenience stores) around San Juan del Sur. You can also come out to the Carrizal and purchase them across the road from the Carlos Guzman School.
Please visit El Carizal’s Website for more information or to get involved.
This Week’s Events: January 3-9
Monday, Jan 3
• Water Aerobics @ Pelican Eyes Family Pool 10am
• Yoga @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 7:30am & 6pm
• Martial Arts Class @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 4pm
• Yoga with NicaYoga @ El Camino del Sol - 5:30pm*
• Movie night @ Bambu Beach 7:30pm
• Happy Hour @ Terraza de Palermo (Palermo Resort) 5-8pm
• Happy Hour @ Pelican Eyes 4-8pm
Tuesday, Jan 4
• Yoga with NicaYoga @ El Camino del Sol - 8:15am and 5:30pm*
• Join a Guided Run around SJdS @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 6:30am
• Yoga @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 7:30am; 4:30pm and 6pm
• Open Mic Night @ Pau Hana
Wednesday, Jan 5
• Yoga @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 7:30 & 6pm
• Water Aerobics @ Pelican Eyes Family Pool 10am
• Yoga with NicaYoga @ El Camino del Sol - 5:30pm*
• Martial Arts Class @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 4pm
• Happy Hour @ Terraza de Palermo (Palermo Resort) 5-8pm
Thursday, Jan 6
• Guided Run around SJdS @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 6:30am
• Yoga with NicaYoga @ El Camino del Sol - 8:15am and 5:30pm*
• Yoga @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 7:30am, 4:30pm & 6pm
• Ladies Night @ Arribas Bar
• Movie night @ Bambu Beach 7:30pm
• El Timon hosts Nicaragua Cultural Night most Thursday evenings with live music and folkloric dance.
• Happy Hour @ Terraza de Palermo (Palermo Resort) 5-8pm
Friday, Jan 7
• Yoga @ Buena Vida Fitness Centre 7:30 am & 6pm
• Water Aerobics @ Pelican Eyes Family Pool 10am
• Yoga with NicaYoga @ El Camino del Sol - 5:30pm*
• Live music @ The Irish House 8pm (or thereabouts)
• Live Music @ Bar Restaurant Vivian on the beach
• Happy Hour @ Terraza de Palermo (Palermo Resort) 5-8pm
Saturday, Jan 8
• Yoga with NicaYoga @ El Camino del Sol - 8:15am*
• Farmer’s Market @ the Sports Park 9am-2pm
• Karaoke @ Agua Azul Bar Restaurant
• Afternoon pool side BBQ @ Terraza de Palermo (Palermo Resort)
Sunday, Jan 9
• Yoga with NicaYoga @ El Camino del Sol - 5:30pm*
• Brunch@ El Pozo Restaurant on the First Sunday of the month only. Starts at 11am.
• Afternoon pool side BBQ @ Terraza de Palermo (Palermo Resort)
• Happy Hour @ Bambu Beach Club with acoustic guitar from 5-6pm.
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* Shuttle for Yoga at El Camino del Sol leaves from Barrio Café in Central San Juan del Sur @ 8am & 5pm
2011 Earthship Pitaya Festival
Once a year on a full moon thousands of people from across the globe congregate in El Carizal, a sustainable community just outside of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, to rock out to a mix of live music and good vibes at the Earthship Pitaya Music Festival. The festival serves as a platform to feature local artists and inspire children in the community while raising awareness and funding for community outreach projects within El Carizal.
A PITAYA is a tropical fruit more commonly known as Dragonfruit that grows in Central America and Asia. It’s deliciously full of antioxidants, Vitamin C and dietary fiber.
El Carizal is home to Nicaragua’s first Earthship, which is a completely self-sustaining, 100% off-the-grid building made from recycled materials like glass bottles and tires that harvests rainwater and use solar power. El Carizal is also leading the way in community outreach programs and sustainability efforts like a local school, beach clean ups and the “Jam Project” which is a locally owned and operated women’s co-op that makes and sells jam made from organic and locally grown fruit.
“Through our volunteer programs and community outreach projects at El Carizal, we hope to cultivate a disarming mutual respect between visitors and locals thus providing the foundation for lasting friendships within the local community.”
The 2011 Pitaya Festival, which will take place February 18-19, is set to include an amazing music line up and some exciting new events. Headliner Matty Powel is a Canadian singer-song writer know for his powerful voice, potent lyrics and beautiful, simple melodies. He has a large following in San Juan del Sur and this will be his third year preforming at the Pitaya Festival. Other musicians in the lineup include local favorites DJ Johnny G and Don Bigote y los Pobrecitos. Non-music events include a surf contest, a 6K stand-up paddle board race, a run-swim-run on the beach, Yoga, workshops and a kids party.
Volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are available if you would like to get involved.
Please visit their website for more information: www.earthshippitayafestival.com
The San Juan del Sur Howler Mountain Bike Race announces their third annual race to be held on December 11, 2010. Ox paths, dirt paths, single tracks and riverbeds make up the the unspoiled mountain bike action of 18 to 42 kilometers. The Howler race is Nicaragua’s entry into Central American mountain bike races.
Anthony Ippolito, a world-class racer and lead Howler course-setter loves this unique course. “Nicaragua is known for it’s untouched, raw landscape. This course takes full advantage of the diversity in the surrounding terrain and you only have to go five minutes outside of San Juan del Sur to find some really amazing stuff!”
The race is organized by Larry Thraen who is an adventure travel coordinator and ex-patriot living in San Juan del Sur. He was motivated to start the race by the local families who heavily rely on bicycles for transportation. “Many people don’t even have brakes on their bikes; they use their plastic flip-flops to slow down or stop their two-wheelers. It’s also worth noting how many people these talented Nicaraguans can put on a bike. I’ve seen five kids on an old three-speed from the 60s.”
The focus of the Howler Race is to put on an international sporting event that will also serve the local communities. They are striving to attract sponsor involvement to help bring down a container of bikes and helmets for each event. “The bike donation aspect serves a two-fold purpose. One, it’s to have a bike for the race. Secondly, after the race, they can use the bike to get themselves to town for supplies or to a job that helps feed their family,” Larry explains.
Proceeds from the race will go to two local organizations: Comunidad Connect which focuses on community development projects like recycling, literacy programs, sports and volunteer based tourism in the San Juan del Sur area and Fundacion Tierra which supports the municipality’s socio-economic welfare, education, reforestation, water and sanitation.
To learn more about the race, the organizations, register to participate or donate please visit www.sanjuanhowler.com