Top 15 Festivals and Celebrations in South America
With a landmass of nearly 7 million square miles (18 million square kilometers), South America is a massive continent with many cultures celebrated all year long. The continent is known for its many cultural festivals and celebrations that it hosts, from Carnival to Inti Raymi. From celebrations in cities to entire countries, there are many places you will find exciting celebrations. With something happening almost every day, it can be difficult to decide what festival to visit. Here are the 15 top festivals you should visit while visiting the continent of South America.
15. Tomorrowland, May
In the first week, San Paulo, Brazil hosts some of the best DJs in the world. Tomorrowland is an electronic dance music (EDM) festival that is growing in popularity. The festival has grown so much that single tickets can sell out in minutes. While at the festival, you can even sleep onsite in Dreamville in one of four options. For those who want more of a “rugged” experience, you can pitch a tent at the campsite or camp in pre-made tents in a sleeping bag. More luxurious options include small cabanas or in a Dream Lodge that resembles a night safari tent. One of the best music festivals in South America, Tomorrowland is a great experience for EDM lovers.
14. Señor de Los Milagros, October
Every October, Peru’s capital city, Lima, holds Señor de Los Milagros, Lord of the Miracles. The Celebration is one of the largest Catholic processions in Latin America, dating back to the 17th century when an image of Christ’s crucifixion was painted by a slave on a wall. The artwork has withstood the test of time, outlasting earthquakes, and attempts to destroy or erase it. Starting at the Church of Las Nazarenas, 2,500 members of the Lord of Miracle's brotherhood carry the artwork throughout Lima. Donned in white and purple robes, the procession takes approximately 20 hours and is a beautiful religious procession to show what religion means to Peruvians.
13. Fiesta de la Tirana, July
In July of every year, the village of La Tirana, Chile celebrates Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of the city. With choreographed parades and both Incan and Christian offerings, this festival has been celebrated since the mid-19th century. The people who celebrate pray, give thanks for, and offer money to their patron saint, who protects the armed forces, navy, and police of the area. The beautiful combination of sound, color, and movement makes Fiesta de la Tirana one of the most well-attended religious celebrations in Chile. Over a quarter of a million people journey to La Tirana every year. This beautiful festival offers a colorful look into the lives of local Chileans.
12. Day of the Dead, November
A colorful and happy festival to celebrate those who have left their lives, Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) is celebrated around the entire continent of South America. Decorating loved one’s skulls and honoring their memory, South Americans make offerings of foods and flower arrangements. Although Mexico is best known for its celebrations on the 1st and 2nd of November, South America offers its unique take of the celebration. In Bolivia, people still dig up skulls and decorate them to honor their loved ones. This festival is an exciting festival that embodies remembrance of lost family and friends.
11. Semana Santa, March/April
One of the most outstanding festivals in Peru, Semana Santa (Holy Week) begins the week before Palm Sunday. Every day, there are elaborate parades, traditional dishes, and extravagant celebrations. On Thursday, you will experience the feast of 12 dishes, symbolizing Jesus’ last supper. On Friday, a parade honors La Virgen de Los Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) in which those in the parade may slingshot small pebbles at spectators, symbolizing sorrows for those watching. Even on Easter morning, you may find some cities carrying a Resurrected Christ to the central square. This religious celebration of Semana Santa highlights the importance Catholicism has on Peru.
10. Corpus Christi Festival, June
Celebrated in the second week of June, Corpus Christi Festival blends the commemoration of both the harvest to the Incan Sun God and Holy Communion. Hosted in Ecuador, thousands of Ecuadorians celebrate with food, art, music, and regional dances. The days-long fiesta culminates in the El Danzante parade, providing colorful traditional clothing and costumes, fireworks, and amazing sights. Additionally, colorful candies of all shapes and sizes help bring sweetness to the festival. The Corpus Christi Festival combines tradition with religion, embracing the community, and celebrating its unique history.
9. Tango Festival, August
Tango is a beloved dance in Argentina, and this festival celebrates what the dance means to Argentinians. The World Tango Championships is a newer but still very exciting cultural festival taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina every year. Attracting the very best tango dancers from all over the world, the last two weeks of August are filled with hundreds of events hosted throughout the city. Additionally, you can join in on fun city-wide lessons to learn the iconic dance or to brush up on your skills. From the precise moves, fast tempo, and elaborate clothing, the Tango Festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina encompasses the passion of tango into one cultural celebration.
8. Tapati Festival, February
Celebrated on Easter Island, off the coast of Chile, the Tapati Festival is the most important sporting and cultural event for the island. The festival is held to decide the queen of the Tapati to (symbolically) reign for the rest of the year, with the island splitting into two very passionate and enthusiastic groups. The Tapati Festival is also very popular with tourists to the island, as the locals are very eager and willing to include them in the festivities. Everything from music and art to mythology and physical skills is tested to find the perfect queen. The Tapati Festival offers visitors a unique, hands-on experience that cannot be replicated.
7. Mistura Food Festival, September
The largest food festival in South America, Mistura Food Festival is held every September (or sometimes late August) in Lima, Peru. Mistura showcases the culinary world of Peru, with top chefs cooking from food trucks and stalls for your enjoyment. You will find everything from the famous ceviche, cuy, and sanguche de chicharron, to fusion cuisines that combine Chinese and Japanese food with Peruvian food to sweet desserts like picarones and alfajores. The Mistura Food Festival is a foodie’s paradise and the Peruvian celebration is not to be missed in South America.
6. Mendoza Wine Harvest Festival, February to March
The Mendoza Wine Harvest Festival starts in February and has a beautiful and spectacular end in the first week of March. Located in Mendoza, Argentina, the famous wine-growing region of the country, the Mendoza Wine Harvest Festival has occurred every year since 1936. The festival offers plenty of incredible wine, delicious food, music, and dancing and during the culminating first week of March, the region also offers concerts, parades, and fireworks to celebrate the harvest. For wine lovers, the Mendoza Wine Harvest Festival is the best in South America.
5. Festival de la Candelaria, February
Celebrating the Patron Saint of Copacabana, this elaborate event takes place in Bolivia and Peru, as she is the most revered saint in these countries. A two-week festival at the beginning of February, you will find many parades, traditional dancing, ornate and intricate costumes and masks, and plenty of food and drinks. The best locations to celebrate include cities and villages along the shores of Lake Titicaca such as Puno and Copacabana. The second-largest cultural festival in South America (second only to Carnival), this mega-festival provides an authentic and inspiring celebration not to be missed.
4. Inti Raymi, June
On June 24th in Cusco, Peru, the ancient Inca Festival of the Sun, Inti Raymi. When the Spanish colonized the area, the celebration was outlawed but has gained more popularity since the festival was reinstated in 1944. With street parties, traditional dances, and fiestas, this beautiful cultural event has become one of the most popular in Peru. Even though most of the celebration takes place in Cusco, the Inca capital, in the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, many cities in the area have created new celebrations. Inti Raymi is a unique cultural celebration that cannot be missed.
3. Oruro Carnival, February
The largest carnival celebration in Bolivia, the Oruro Carnival is a relatively unknown, yet extremely colorful festival. The festival, over 200 years old, honors the Virgin of the Mineshaft, in one of Bolivia’s traditional mining towns. The Oruro Carnival features colorful and elaborate costumes, decorated statues of the Virgin of the Mineshaft, big brass bands, and beautiful processions. One parade, Diablada (Dance of the Devils) showcases 20,000 dancers and 10,000 musicians in extravagant costumes. This large, colorful, and somewhat crazy celebration of Oruro Carnival is not to be missed.
2. Feria de las Flores, August
Since May of 1957, Feria de las Flores (Festival of the Flowers) is a stunning ten-day festival in Medellin Colombia. The festival, which celebrates paisa culture (the people of the region), has over 400 events for you to attend from fireworks to dances to music concerts. The main event of Feria de las Flores is Desfile de Silleteros, the flower parade. Paisas of any age display flowers on their backs for hours, showing off the beautiful varieties of flowers, including orchids, that are celebrated, with over 3,000 flowers displayed. This stunning Festival of Flowers is still relatively unknown but provides an amazing and authentic look into the culture of the area.
1. Carnaval, February/March
Held the week before Lent every year, Carnaval is probably the most famous festival in the world. The most passionate location is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but you can also find exciting celebrations in other cities in Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, and Uruguay. In Colombia, you will find African-style dancing and parades of floats and Uruguay hosts dance parties and many parades. Although the party lasts for two weeks in Rio de Janeiro, some of the most stunning parties and parades happen in the last four days. If you are going to any celebration in South America, Carnaval is a must-visit.
Celebrations and festivals in South America are some of the most extravagant and beautiful in the world. From celebrating religion, traditional culture, and even a mix somewhere in between, many festivals allow tourists to enjoy the unique local culture of many countries, from cities to small villages. These are the top 15 different festivals and celebrations you should consider visiting in South America. From Carnival to Feria de las Flores, these festivals offer amazing food, music, parades, and more, inviting you to embrace their amazing cultures.
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