What are the best parties in Colombia? Colombia has an extremely rich cultural life and a population with a keen sense of celebration. What’s more, Colombia holds the record, along with India, for the country with the highest number of public holidays in its calendar. Numerous celebrations and festivities take place in all the towns and villages to celebrate their authenticity, local folklore, cultures, religious beliefs, etc.
Top 15 parties in Colombia
1. Carnaval de Negros y Blancos
The Carnaval de Negros y Blancos, or Carnival of Blacks and Whites, was declared a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2002, and was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. It has existed since 1546 and has been popular since 1607, when Spain gave the black population 5 January to relax and have fun. It is celebrated every year in Pasto, in south-west Colombia, from 2 to 7 January.
On 3 January, it’s the small carnival, a day reserved for children. The following day sees the arrival of the Castañeda family and a parade of comic families. But the two real highlights are Black Day, on 5 January, when carnival-goers paint their faces black and shout “que vivan los negros! Above all, it’s a day of celebration in Colombia. The next day is the day of the whites, when you can admire the festival’s biggest parade, which is no less than 7 kilometres long. It’s a spectacle of culture and life, where you’re sure to feel the joie de vivre so characteristic of Colombians.
2. Carnival in Barranquilla
Barranquilla Carnival is Colombia’s most important folk festival, running from January to Shrove Tuesday. It is the 3rd biggest carnival in the world after Rio and Venice. It brings together the cultural events of some fifty villages on the banks of the Magdalena River, and was added to UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. At the closing parade, all the folklore of the Caribbean coast comes together. Dances, music and traditional costumes such as the Marimonda, the Garabato, the Congo and the Monocuco, as well as Torito masks, are all part of the parade. Popular fiestas are also organised in each district, and alongside the traditional costumes, satirical disguises that mock current events add to the good humour that prevails during the festivities. The Barranquilla Carnival is one of Colombia’s must-see festivals. The magnificent festive atmosphere is impossible to miss, and you’ll be swept away by the tropical rhythms!
Discover the Barranaquilla carnival on video.
3. The flower fair
The feria de las flores is a traditional event that has been held in August in MedellÃn for almost 60 years. It lasts 10 days and celebrates the values and traditions of the department of Antioquia, whose capital is Medellin. More than 450 events take place at the same time, including floral art parades, ‘tablados musicales’ concerts in every district of the city, and a host of activities typical of the region, such as the ‘arrieros mulas y fondas’. The most important event takes place on the last Sunday of the fair and is called El Desfile de los Silleteros. This is a parade of elaborate floral arrangements worn on the backs of participants. Some of the arrangements can weigh up to 40kg. This is one of Colombia’s not-to-be-missed fiestas.
4. The Cali Fair
The Feria de Cali takes place every year from 25 to 30 December. It is the most important cultural symbol of the city of Cali and the Feria is made up of numerous cultural events, including dance and music. Salsa is one of the city’s most popular tropical rhythms, and is given pride of place at every Feria. In the Salsodrome, events take place where professional dancers accompanied by salsa orchestras practise their art. Horse rides are also organised, as is the Carnaval del viejo Cali parade.
5. Holy week in Popayan
In Popayán, majestic and massive processions depicting passages from the Gospels take place in the streets of the town, with magnificent decorations carried on large wooden platforms, the pasos, along a 2-kilometre route. The men who have the honour of carrying these pasos are called cargueros. They are dressed in white or blue hooded tunics and are preceded by women carrying incense. The flowers in these processions have a specific colour and meaning, and concerts of sacred music are held in the churches. Holy Week in Popayán is an opportunity to discover traditions straight out of the Middle Ages.
6. Holy Week at Mompox
Situated on an island in the River Magdalena, Mompox is another of Colombia’s holy week centres. Religious celebrations date back to the time when wealthy villagers donated jewellery, altars, etc. to the church in order to obtain God’s forgiveness for their sins. As a result, the town has a large religious collection. The 7 Mompox churches play an active role in organising the Friday of Sorrows procession and the Desprendimiento or Paso Robadon. The latter is a particularly beautiful procession, which has earned it an excellent reputation not only in Colombia, but also abroad. Holy Week in Mompox officially begins at midnight on Good Friday, when crowds of worshippers knock on the doors of the church of San Francisco.
7. The Ibero-American Theatre Festival
Every two years, Bogotá hosts one of the most important events in the world of performing arts, the Ibero-American Theatre Festival. For 17 days, theatre companies from 5 continents come to perform in the Colombian capital. There are not only theatre performances, but also dance, circus, puppetry, pantomime, concerts and lectures by theatre masters. The whole city is absorbed by cultural events, and performances take place in theatres as well as on the streets.
8. Cartagena International Film Festival
The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival is Latin America’s oldest film-related event. It celebrates Ibero-American cinema, but in particular the development of Colombian film and its spread around the world. It welcomes a jury of international renown, who attend screenings of the continent’s best audiovisual productions. It is also an opportunity to promote Cartagena as an international tourist destination. The Festival takes place every year between February and March.
9. The Vallenato Festival
El Vallenato is a musical genre that originated in Colombia. It is played on percussion instruments, the guacharaca (a traditional Colombian instrument) and the accordion. Every year in April, Valledupar, the capital of the Cesar department, hosts parades, shows, competitions and, of course, music festivals. The Vallenato festival is one of Colombia’s great popular events, honouring a long tradition of singers and musicians. If you’re wondering what the vallenato is, we’ve put together a short list to give you an idea by clicking here!
10. The Festival del Bambuco in Neiva
If you’re travelling to Colombia between June and July, we recommend you add Neiva to the list of stops on your itinerary. In this friendly town, you’ll discover the Festival del Bambuco. This is a celebration of the femininity of the women of the region. Bambuco is traditional Colombian music from the Andes mountains that can be danced to. It is a seduction parade in which the woman seeks to bewitch the man. During the parade, the women try to win the title of Bambuco Queen, while characters from the region’s mythology parade along the streets.
11. National holiday on 20 July
National Day celebrates Colombia’s independence, proclaimed on 20 July 1810. It is one of the most important dates in the country’s history and a much-anticipated holiday.
12. Santa Marta sea festivals
If you like music and water sports, head for Santa Marta, where the sea festivals are held every summer at the end of July. Cultural and artistic activities also take place here. National and international sea competitions are held here, as are nautical and seaside games.
13. The independence of Cartagena de Indias
The Independencia de Cartagena is celebrated on 11 November, because in 1811 Cartagena declared its independence from the Spanish crown. Every year, the city celebrates this date with balls and popular parades, as well as Colombia’s most important beauty contest, which selects the Colombian representative for the Miss Universe world pageant. Other contests are also on the agenda, such as the one for the most popular woman in the city’s neighbourhoods, who is then named Queen of the City. The festival lasts for several days, and you can watch the candidates parade through the streets, on boats and so on. It’s a festival full of colour and atmosphere typical of the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
14. The day of lights
El dÃa de las Velitas, or the Festival of Candles, is a traditional Colombian festival. It celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. The festival begins on the evening of 7 December and takes place in every town in Colombia. The aim is to light a multitude of candles of all colours, one for each member of the family. Paper lanterns and fireworks are also set off.
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