s ▁throughout ▁the ▁country . ▁The ▁ceremony ▁itself ▁begins ▁at ▁ 1 1 : 0 0   am ▁in ▁the ▁Pla za ▁de ▁Ar mas . ▁Military ▁par ades ▁and ▁civil ▁school ▁par ades ▁are ▁held ▁on ▁this ▁day ▁in ▁major ▁cities ▁and ▁towns ▁nation wide . ▁Many ▁Chile ans ▁travel ▁during ▁the ▁F iest as ▁Pat rias ▁to ▁visit ▁family , ▁friends ▁and ▁relatives ▁in ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁join ▁the ▁celebr ations ▁there . ▁In ▁Santiago , ▁many ▁people ▁travel ▁to ▁resort s ▁on ▁the ▁Pacific ▁coast , ▁especially ▁Vi ña ▁del ▁Mar ▁and ▁the ▁L itor al ▁Central ▁region . ▁It ▁is ▁estimated ▁that ▁ 2 ▁million ▁Chile ans — near ly ▁one - e ighth ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁population — tra vel ▁during ▁this ▁hol iday . ▁▁ 1 9 ▁September , ▁the ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁installation ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Government ▁Council ▁and ▁the ▁very ▁first ▁military ▁para de ▁in ▁Chile an ▁history , ▁marks ▁the ▁grand ▁finale : ▁the ▁Great ▁Military ▁Par ade ▁of ▁Chile ▁comm emor ating ▁the ▁gl ories ▁of ▁the ▁Chile an ▁Army , ▁on ▁Santiago ' s ▁O ' H igg ins ▁Park ▁and ▁over seen ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁Chile ▁in ▁his / her ▁performance ▁of ▁his / her ▁constitution al ▁mand ate ▁as ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Forces . ▁Att ract ing ▁millions ▁of ▁people , ▁and ▁sim ul cast ▁live ▁on ▁radio , ▁television ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁Internet , ▁the