Colombia is a nation that takes it festivals, dance, music and traditions incredibly seriously and depsite all of the only too well publicised problems in this country, you'll not find another place where the people are more prepared to let their hair down, shrug off their difficulties, embrace as tourist as if they were family and party hard. Below we have listed a few of the more famous, unusual and exciting events and festivals for the period January to June 2010. You can see from July to December here.
January
Blacks and Whites Carnival/ Los Blancos y Negros
Location: Pasto, Narino
Dates: January 3 – 7
What to Expect: A non-stop celebration of interracial and cultural diversity. Locals paint their faces black with shoe polish and then engage in massive flour fights in the streets.
Cartagena Hay Festival
Location: Cartagena, Bolivar
Dates: January 28 – 31
What to Expect: Literary heavyweights descending upon the stunning walled city of Cartagena. Amongst others, this year’s invited authors include Ian Mcewan, Michael Ondaatje and Mario Vargas Llosa.
February
Barranquilla Carnival
Location: Barranquilla, Atlantico
Dates: February 13 – 16
What to Expect: This is not a carnival for the faint hearted and all are welcome. Dancing, drinking, partying and from well before the set dates. Barranquilla carnival will devour you, chew you up and spit you out with a thumping hangover and hearing problems!
March
XII Iboamerican Theatre Festival
Location: Bogota, Cundinamarca
Dates: 19 March – 4 April
What to Expect: While there will be performing troupes from all over the world strutting their thespian stuff in formal venues throughout the capital there will also be parallel free street theatre taking place in various locations.
April
Semana Santa/ Easter Week
Location: Popayan, Cauca and Mompos, Bolivar
Dates: April 1 – 5
What to Expect: Austere processions and immaculate floats lifted upon the shoulders of pilgrims. Things may be more organised in Popayan but Mompos’ Masonic heritage makes this the pick of the two.
Vallenato Legend Festival
Location: Valledupar, Cesar
Dates: 27 April – 1 May
What to Expect: This year’s edition is in memory of deceased Vallenato legend Rafael Escalona and so we can expect the accordion heavy music to be pounding harder and louder with his songs. Build up your whisky tolerance and start now!
May
Wayuu Cultural Festival
Location: Uribia, La Guajira
Dates: May 22 – 24
What to Expect: A fascinating slice of life in northern Colombia involving plenty of dance, traditions, and drums.
June
Cumbia Festival
Location: El Banco, Magdalena
Dates: Mid June
What to Expect: The town itself may not be up to much but everything is turned around for a full on cumbia explosion where the Cauca and Magdalena rivers converge.
Rock in the Park
Location: Bogota, Cundinamarca
Dates: Mid June
What to Expect: In recent years the organisers have come up trumps and managed to attract the likes of Bloc Party and Fito Paez to Bogota. There should be a good number of local acts on show as well
Colombian Folklore Festival
Location: Ibague, Tolima
Dates: Mid June
What to Expect: Ibague is considered as Colombia’s capital of music and so you can expect duets, poetry and plenty of theatre.
Bambuco Festival
Location: Neiva, Huila
Dates: Late June
What to Expect: Neiva might not attract too much international tourism but as this festival keeps gaining fame for being one of Colombia’s greatest parties, this seems set to change. And of course no Colombian festival would be complete without a coronation, in the case the Bambuco Queen.
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
