On our first full day in La Paz, we visited "the markets." I will post another market visit after this one, but I'm giving the Costumes Market a special post. Why? I'm not sure that I've ever seen a strictly costumes market before. It's actually just one section of a long market area but that's what our guide called it.

Our guide said that most people cannot afford to buy or make their own costumes. Costumes are made with fancy designs, fabrics, and supplements. He also said that costumes are only rented for one day, so it's not really practical to make them and store them. Plus, kids grow and could outgrow them quickly.

The major festival is Carnaval de La Paz in February or March, leading up to Lent. Next is the Fiesta del Gran Poder honoring the Virgin of La Merced, the city's patron saint. There is also the Day of the Dead celebration. Other celebrations are probably mostly centered around religious holidays.

Celebrations include dancing in the streets, music, parades and processions, with choreography rooted in Catholic and Pre-Hispanic traditions.

Costumes can be seen below. They include sequins, feathers, beads, leather, and much more. Costumes celebrate Andean elements, Spanish elements, animals of the Andes, bullfighting (which is no longer held in Bolivia, but still celebrated), African influences from slavery times, and indigenous elements. See if you can pick out these elements in the costumes you see in the stores below.