Semana Santa

Semana Santa, or Easter week, in Izabal, is a religious celebration for many and a week-long party for others.  Many people from Guatemala City escape to the beaches and tropical waters of Izabal during the week-long vacation, so hotels can fill up quickly and prices often double or triple during this time.  The discos are often open late all week long, and the main street in Livingston is converted to a pedestrian-only street and becomes home to a street fair, concerts, and lots of religious processions.  One of the major differences in the Easter procession in Livingston compared to the rest of the country is that here, the Christ statue is black, representing the strong presence of the Garifuna culture.  Semana Santa usually occurs on or around the first week of April.