Events in Beautiful Argentina

vents in Argentina are influenced by its centuries old history. Whether it is theatre or concerts, they have moved with the times and present a vivid picture of how the largely immigrant population has adapted themselves to the ethnic surroundings.

Theatre

History of theatre in Argentina dates back to 1783. The earliest mention of any noticeable event is 1886, a little over 100 years from the beginning of theatre in Argentina. This effort too had a short life of about 30 years. Towards the end of 18th century, Argentina saw a large flow of immigrant population looking for better standards of life. Early 20th century witnessed intense theatrical activity with plenty of new companies premiering several plays paving way for the Golden Age.

Concerts in Argentina

A trip to Argentina will be incomplete without experiencing the Tango. This is the Argentinean national dance form. Tango can be best experienced in the Milongas. “El Tangauta” is a monthly magazine which is considered the bible of everything concerning Tango. Milongas are either during day time or late night. Matinee Milongas start early in the afternoon and can go on till about 10 pm. The official starting time for night, Milongas is 11 pm, but people keep coming till about 1.30 am and the performance goes on until early in the morning.

Sports in Argentina

Sports in Argentina are not limited to Soccer as some would like to believe. The National game of Argentina is of course Soccer and they have won the world cup title twice in 1978 and 1986. No wonder therefore, that on the streets you often hear “Boca or River”. The Argentinean youth assume that everyone has an interest in soccer. The reference is to the Boca Juniors and the River Plate team. The Gold Medal for Soccer went to Argentina in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Interestingly, the Gold Medal for Basket ball in the same event also went to Argentina.

• Polo

Argentina is equally well known for their superiority in Polo. After winning the first Olympic Gold Medal for Polo in 1924, they have enjoyed a dominant position in this sport.

• Pato

This is an exclusive Argentinean sport. Pato denotes “duck”. Originally, two teams playing on horseback were employed. A duck in a leather pouch with handles formed the core of the playing equipment. Two players pull the handles until the opponent loses grip. The winning team then rides away while the opposing team tries to repossess the pato. This sport was banned in 1882 because of the dangers it posed and again revived in 1930 with a new set of regulations.

• Horse Racing

Horse racing is another popular sport in Argentina. Though there are racing events throughout the year, the Argentine Republic Prize during April and Grand National during November are the important ones.

• Other Sports

Volleyball, Basketball and rugby are equally important sporting activities for the Argentineans. In Basketball, they have a commendable presence having won the World Cup in 2006 as well as the Gold medal from the 2004 Athens Olympics.

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