"Burning the Devil" in La Alameda Park this Friday wraps up seven intense days of the 30th Fiesta del Fuego (Fire Fiesta), a meeting of regional cultural traditions.

The Snake Parade today begins the closing ceremony of an event that has attracted large crowds, including 1,370 artists and intellectuals from 30 countries, who enjoyed music and in more than 40 locations.

Curaçao and the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, the main guests at the 2010 Fiesta, exposed their colorful roots and traditions through their fine arts and culinary.

Mexico, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic added to this collage, which has the power to project similar features over differences.

Intellectuals Rene Rosalia of Curaçao and Nilton Pereira of Pernambuco (Brazil), and Berta Lidia Hechevarria of Santiago, all inspirations for this fete, were awarded the Casa del Caribe International Prize.

One outstanding feature of the event is the giant mural paintings on the facades of several buildings in the Jose Marti District.

This 30th Fiesta del Fuego announced that Trinidad and Tobago and the English-speaking Caribbean will be the main guests at the 2011 edition.