Great Military Parade of Peru

Every July 28 until 1937, military parades led by the Peruvian Armed Forces were held in Lima's Plaza de Armas, adjacent to the Government Palace, right after the Te Deum at the City Cathedral.

But on July 28, 1921, after the Te Deum the military parade was held in Plaza Bolivar to celebrate the nation's centennial year.

The next year, emulating the Chilean style holiday system, the parade moved to its new date of July 29, where it stays to this day.

The 2009 parade, originally scheduled for July 29, was held off (due to the AH1N1 epidemic) until December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Concepcion and on the eve of Peruvian Army Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Ayacucho, still in the Campo de Marte.

2013's parade was the first to include appearances from the National Penetencial Institution and ground formations of the Peruvian Firefighters Corps plus a delegation of the BECA 18 program and veterans of the nation's peacekeeping service, and the historical segment as a whole was disbanded, thus the services on parade had their historical formations joining them.

In each of the venues mentioned earlier, a long grandstand with red and white banners and cockades (the colors of the Flag of Peru) is built.

As the President arrives escorted by troopers and the mounted band of the Presidential Life Guard Dragoons Regiment (Presidential Life-Guard Escort of the Republic of Peru), the parade commander and Commanding General, Lima Garrison gives the order to begin the review of the guard of honor composed of the members of the Armed Forces and the National Police.

Before the bands would arrive the Commanding General, Lima Garrison informs the President of his permission to commence the parade, which is then approved.