The first of a series of weekend beach activity events put on by the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games and Parapan American Games organisers, at the Playa Las Torpederas in Valparaiso, has proved highly successful ©Getty Images

The first of a series of weekend beach activity events put on by the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games and Parapan American Games organisers, at the Playa Las Torpederas in Valparaiso, has proved highly successful.

Sports, games and music were on offer for residents and tourists as part of the promotion of the Games that are due to start on October 20, using the slogan #OurMeetingPoint.

The event featured spaces for face painting, inflatable games for children, as well as sports spaces such as volleyball and paddles, all with the aim of highlighting the social role of sport and publicise what will be the most important multi-sport event organised by Chile in its history.

Both days also included the participation of the Afro-descendant music group Tumberos del Puerto and the folk singer Carmen Lienqueo, who provided a beautiful atmosphere for this event, another important milestone in the countdown towards Santiago 2023.

Folk singer Carmen Lienqueo was among the musicians who performed at the first of the Santiago 2023 community beach activity weekends, in Valaparaiso ©Santiago 2023
Folk singer Carmen Lienqueo was among the musicians who performed at the first of the Santiago 2023 community beach activity weekends, in Valaparaiso ©Santiago 2023

Lienqueo commented: "Music and sport are clearly related, since they come from that same drive to want to be a better human being, from a personal challenge."

The space also had a volunteer stand, which was used by the attendees to register and thus guarantee being able to be part of this important event.

The Valparaíso Region and several of its communes will host competitions while the Games are taking place, among which are: women's football at the Elías Figueroa Stadium, Valparaíso; men's football at the Sausalito Stadium, Viña del Mar; triathlon at El Slol Beach, Viña del Mar; slalom canoeing on the Aconcagua River, Los Andes; equestrian sports in the Grendiers Regiment, Quillota and sailing in the Pacific Nautical Brotherhood, Algarrobo.

Similar events are due to take place from February 18 to February 19 at Playa Grande de Pichilemu, and from February 25 to 26 on the beaches of Algarrobo.