CULTURE
Traditions:
Nicaraguan culture has strong folklore, music and religious traditions, deeply influenced by European culture but enriched with Amerindian sounds and flavors. Nicaraguan culture can further be defined in several distinct strands. The Pacific coast has strong folklore, music and religious traditions, deeply influenced by Europeans. It was colonized by Spain and has a similar culture to other Spanish-speaking Latin American countries.
The Caribbean coast of the country, on the other hand, was once a British protectorate. English is still predominant in this region and spoken domestically along with Spanish and indigenous languages. Its culture is similar to that of Caribbean nations that were or are British possessions, such as Jamaica, Belize, The Cayman Islands, etc. The indigenous groups that were present in the Pacific coast have largely been assimilated into the mestizo culture, however, the indigenous people of the Caribbean coast have maintained a distinct identity.
Celebrations:
Each town and city in Nicaragua has annual celebrations for its patron saint. These celebrations, known as Toro Guaco, include distinctive masked processions and mock battles involving folkloric figures satirizing the Spanish conquistadors. The most famous of these saints' days are held in honor of San Sebastian in January and Santiago in July.
The festival of Santo Domingo, Managua's patron saint, is held from August 1 to 10, and it features a carnival, a horse parade, cockfights and other sports. A procession with music and dancers takes the statue of the saint to its shrine at Sierritas de Managua, culminating in fireworks. Local holidays are observed on August 1 and 10. May Day (May 1), the Anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista Revolution (July 19), and Independence Day (September 15) are also celebrated in Managua.
Alcohol:
The legal drinking age in Nicaragua is 18.
Sports and Hobbies:
Baseball is the most popular sport played in Nicaragua. Although some professional Nicaraguan baseball teams have folded in the recent past, Nicaragua enjoys a strong tradition of American-style Baseball. Baseball was introduced to Nicaragua at different years during the 19th century. In the Caribbean coast locals from Bluefields were taught how to play baseball in 1888 by Albert Addlesberg, a retailer from the United States.
Boxing is the second most popular sport in Nicaragua. The country has had world champions such as Alexis Argüello and Ricardo Mayorga among others. Recently, soccer has gained popularity, especially with the younger population. The Dennis Martínez National Stadium has served as a venue for both baseball and soccer but the first ever national soccer stadium in Managua is currently under construction.