Bogotá's Carnival or Carnival of Bogotá () is celebrated in Bogotá every year on August 5 and August 6 for the city's anniversary of its Hispanic foundation. Most of the cultural events take place in the heart of Parque Metropolitano Simón Bolívar The festivities also include pre-carnival celebrations during the month of July. One of the main objectives of the carnival is to promote and encourage the cultural and musical diversity of Colombia. Activities Many activities take place during the celebrations of the carnival Comparsas (krewes): parades of folkloric groups, dances and music that represent the cultural manifestations from different regions and cultures of the country. Verbenas: celebrations on the suburbs' streets with dances, music, games and gastronomy from different regions of the country. Pre-carnival: days of motivation and preparation for the carnival including cultural events like street theater fairs, puppets, story telling, etc. Children's Carnival, every year since 2005 the carnival includes a parade where the best comparsas of the Children's Carnival parade on the main streets of the city. History According to historian Marcos Gonzales, Bogotá was one of the first cities in the continent in celebrating its own carnival and that in 1539, just one year after the Hispanic foundation of the city the Spanish Crown decreed the celebrations will be carried out in Lent with the name of Carnestolendas of Santafé de Bogotá. In 1561 the Indian chief of Ubaque was allowed to participate celebrating the parties of his own culture (Muisca) which were part of the celebrations until the 19th century. The celebration of the modern carnival in Bogotá dates back to 1916, when the first queen of Bogotá's student carnival, Elvira Zea, was crowned in a congeniality contest. After winning the contest she used her real name as Queen's name, in that occasion she took the name Elvira I. The queen was the person in charge of opening the celebrations. In the following years the carnival grew in number of comparsas and beauty queens. In the 1930s the national government and the mayorship of Bogotá suspended the carnival due to disorders caused by alcohol. An attempt to revive the carnival in 1960 failed for reasons of alcohol abuse and violence. The Carnival was resurrected by Bogotá's Mayor in a Government Resolution on April 14, 2005. The objective of the new Carnival was to promote a collective atmosphere of fellowship and to celebrate life, creative