Updated on 04/17/2024
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I would also like to recommend our Cartagena travel guide, which offers a perfect overview of the tourist attractions in Cartagena. Enjoy reading it!
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International Music Festival
The International Music Festival takes place every January and lasts 9 days. The focus is on classical music as well as the culture of Europe and America. The topic changes every year. In each case, a musical repertoire from different eras and regions is explored, in which more than 250 national and international musicians take part in a program of around 35 or more concerts.
The International Music Festival is officially the most important classical music event in Latin America, attracting thousands of spectators and artists from all over the world every year.
Location
Adolfo Mejía Theater, Calle 36 #2-74, Cartagena, Bolívar.
Number of participants
More than 25,000 visitors.
Free admission?
No. Although there are some free concerts.
Cultural activities and additional services
- Classical music concerts, choirs, bands and youth orchestras
- Lectures and discussions about music, history and culture
- Art exhibitions and photo shows
- Training in the art of guitar building, tuning and repairing string instruments
- Masterclasses and workshops for young people and music students
- Research laboratories for music, culture and history of the regions and countries that are the protagonists of the festival
- Introduction of books, records, magazines and literature specializing in classical music
- Rooms with local and international cuisine
The “Hay Festival” of Cartagena
The Hay Festival takes place on four consecutive days in January. The festival brings together prominent authors, intellectuals and artists from around the world to engage in talks, lectures and presentations on the fields of literature, science, art and more. The festival is currently one of the most important literary events in the Hispanic world, attracting more than 180 national and international guests. In addition, more than 120 events take place during the festival.
Location
Generally, it takes place in the historic center of the city, in places such as the Adolfo Mejía Theater, El Claustro Santo Domingo and the Parque Bolívar.
Number of participants
About 40,000 visitors.
Free admission?
No. To check out free events, visit the official website.
Cultural activities and additional services
- Conversations with renowned writers, musicians, journalists and artists from all over the world
- Concerts with classical music, jazz and other musical genres
- Art, photography and literature exhibitions on the theme of the festival
- Workshops and open rehearsals for writers, musicians and artists
- Presentation of books, magazines and publications with a focus on literature and culture
- Dance and theater shows inspired by literature
- Academic and educational activities together with universities and educational institutions
- Fair of crafts, gastronomy and typical products of the Caribbean
Why should you visit the “Hay Festival” in Cartagena?
Over several days, you will have the opportunity to listen and speak with renowned writers, thinkers and artists about relevant global issues. Beyond the activities, attending this festival allows you to discover the essence of Cartagena through its historical heritage, through the literature you can connect to the local lifestyle.
Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival
The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival is an annual cinema event that has taken place since 1960 and is the most important and oldest in Latin America. Its aim is to promote Ibero-American and world cinema, particularly of a social, diverse and innovative nature.
Every year in March, for six days, the festival presents films, documentaries and short films of various genres and themes, competing in various categories for the India Catalina Awards, with the aim of promoting dialogue, creativity and inclusion among participants and guests such as film artists, critics and directors to promote.
Location
- Adolfo Mejía Theater
- The Convention Center
- The Historical Museum of Cartagena
- Proclamacion Square
- The courtyard of the Palace of the Inquisition
Free admission?
Yes. However, registration is necessary.
Number of participants
Approximately 80,000 – 100,000 visitors.
Cultural activities and additional services
- Screenings of documentaries and short films of various genres
- Meetings and discussions with directors, actors, producers and invited critics
- Workshops and “masterclasses” on screenwriting, directing, production, photography, sound, editing and other aspects of cinema
- Exhibitions on art, photography and literature
- Live music concerts with soundtracks
- Homages to outstanding personalities of Ibero-American and world cinema
- Dance and theater performances
- Introduction of books and magazines
- Academic and educational activities
- Gastronomic routes of the Caribbean region in hotels in the city
- Competitions and prizes for new emerging talents and new proposals
- Film screenings in the districts
Why should you attend the Cartagena International Film Festival?
It is a way to get in touch with the art and culture of Cartagena and the Caribbean, where you can explore Ibero-American and world cinema with award-winning films and outstanding directors and meet important figures in the film industry. Expand your knowledge of other cultures through the seventh art.
Frito Festival
The Frito Festival is an annual food festival. It takes place in January or February and lasts 6 days. Around 50 exhibitors present typical fried dishes from Cartagena’s cuisine. For example, egg arepas, carimañolas, empanadas, bean fritters and other types of “street food”.
The aim of the festival is to highlight the city’s culinary tradition and support the bearers of this heritage. In addition, this festival is considered one of the most important gastronomic events in the country and attracts thousands of visitors every year, according to the Ministry of Culture.
Location
Chambacú Sector, near the Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala Convention Center, Cartagena, Bolívar.
Free admission?
Yes
Number of participants
About 53,000 visitors.
Cultural activities and additional services
- Practical workshops on preparing fried foods
- Night parade with candles and lanterns
- Presentations of musical groups and dances
- Local gastronomic samples
- Lectures on the history and culture of fried foods
- Fried food competitions in various categories
- Photo exhibitions for the festival
- Tourist route through emblematic places for fried food, such as the Parque el Centenario , Parque Bolívar and others
San Basilio de Palenque Festival
The drum festival is an event that showcases folkloric manifestations of Palenquero, Raizal and Afro-Colombian communities, particularly drum music. For four days in October, the city is filled with African rhythms performed by groups from across the continent. The aim of the festival is to reconnect Cartagena with its black roots through percussion, so that the drums sound from morning to evening in various outdoor areas of the city, connecting thousands of people with African culture and its influence on Cartagena’s identity.
This festival takes place in the first free city in America, declared a Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Location
The headquarters is the Corregimiento San Basilio de Palenque, located in the municipality of Mahates in the Bolívar department, Colombia, 50 km from Cartagena. However, other activities are also carried out during this festival, such as in the historic center and other places in the city of Cartagena, such as parks and theaters.
Free admission?
Yes
Number of participants
Between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors.
Cultural activities and additional services
- Percussion and traditional Palenque language workshops
- Seminars on Maroon culture
- Presentations by musical groups
- Musical drumming competitions for groups
- Opening parades with floats, troops, costumes, dances and music
- Gastronomic tastings of the municipality of Palenquera
- Handicraft samples made by the residents of the municipality
- Photo examples with the city’s landmarks
- Film screenings about the stories of the Palenquero people
- Local literary exhibitions
- Ethno-tourist routes with guided tours of emblematic places in the district
Why should you visit the San Basilio de Palenque Festival in Cartagena?
Beyond folklore and music, attending the event will allow you to become aware of the important contribution of Afro-descendants to the identity of Cartagena and Colombia. Thanks to this celebration you can immerse yourself in the traditions of one of the oldest Afro communities in the Americas.
Cartagena Independence Festival
Cartagena’s Independence Festival is celebrated every year on November 11 to commemorate the city’s emancipation from Spanish rule in 1810. For four days, the population pays tribute to the independence heroes with parades, concerts, music, folk dances and pyrotechnic shows.
Various cultural activities invite participants to take part. The streets are decorated with yellow and red flags while musicians play drums on every corner. Furthermore, this festival celebrates and revives both the pride and the rebellious spirit that gave Cartagena its freedom more than two centuries ago. In addition, Cartagena was officially declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.
Location
- Historic center of Cartagena.
- Main avenues and streets of the city.
Free admission?
Yes, access to this festival is free for the public.
Number of participants
More than 350,000 visitors.
Cultural activities and additional services
- A journey of more than 5 km with parades of floats, horse rides, troops and beauty queens
- Queens and beauty pageants
- Dance shows and presentations by musical groups
- Gastronomic festivals
- Literary, writing and oral festivals
National Beauty Contest, Cartagena
The Cartagena National Beauty Pageant is held every November in the walled city. Over the course of 10 days, between 25 and 29 young women from different regions of the country compete in competitions such as swimsuit, sportswear and gala parades. In addition, participants undergo personal interviews to evaluate their beauty, intelligence and communication skills.
Location
- Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala Convention Center in the historic center of Cartagena.
- Hotels and shopping centers in the city.
Free admission?
No
Cultural activities and additional services
- Craft fairs and local activities
- Parades with typical costumes of local artisans
- Visit the historical places of Cartagena
- Parades in swimsuits
- Gala parades
- Walks through the old town
- Tour of the National Beauty Contest Headquarters
- Areas with dining rooms
Festival del Dulce Cartagenero
The Sweets Festival is an annual week-long celebration held during Holy Week that pays tribute to Cartagena’s sweet culture. At this event, you can taste more than 100 varieties of traditional sweets made from fruits, milk, coconut, panela and other local ingredients. In addition, this is an iconic place that has sold Cartagena sweets for more than 100 years.
Location
Plaza de los Coches, Historic Center, Cartagena.
Free admission?
Yes.
Number of participants
More than 39,000 visitors.
Cultural activities and additional services
- Discussions on the history, origins, classification and ancestral customs of Cartagena’s sweets
- Practical workshops on how to prepare typical Holy Week dishes and Bolívar sweets
- Artistic and musical performances by local groups
- Fun days with board games
- Concerts with more than 200 choir voices
- Photo exhibition at the Historical Museum of Cartagena
- Sweet recipe competition with the participation of gastronomy students
- Craft and gastronomy fair for local products
- Audiovisual example about the Cartagena candy and its entire process
- Cultural parades with folklore groups, floats and representative characters of the festival
Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria
This Catholic and cultural festival takes place annually. It shows both the devotion and gratitude of the people of Cartagena towards the Virgin. Various activities are carried out during the festival that showcase the richness and diversity of Caribbean culture, including dance, music, gastronomy and crafts.
The festival is celebrated every year between late January and early February and lasts 16 days. In addition, this feast was canonically crowned by Pope John Paul II in 1986 during his apostolic visit to Cartagena.
Location
- Streets and outdoor public spaces in the city
- Cerro la Popa, La Candelaria Monastery
- La Ermita Church
Free admission?
Yes. However, entrance to La Candelaria Monastery has a fee.
Number of participants
More than 35,000 visitors.
Cultural activities and additional services
- The Novena, a nine-day prayer in honor of the Virgin
- Horse parade
- Events and live musical performances
- Traditional folk dances of the region
- Selling traditional sugar cane
- Handicraft exhibitions with products such as hats, backpacks, hammocks, jewelry and others
- Typical culinary exhibitions of the Caribbean region
- Procession of the Virgin, a journey from Cerro la Popa to the hermitage of the Pie de La Popa district
More about events and celebrations in Colombia
- Colombia’s 45 Best & Biggest Festivals in Detail
- How Holy Week is Celebrated in Colombia: Unmissable Traditions and Places
- Holidays in Colombia: Guide to Holidays and Long Weekend Breaks in Colombia
- 9 Unmissable Cultural Events You Must Experience in Barranquilla
- 13 Unmissable Cultural Events in the Coffee Region
- The 13 Most Popular Cultural Events in Cali
- The 9 Most Popular Cultural Events in Santa Marta
- The 9 Most Popular Cultural Events in Cartagena
- The 13 Most Popular Cultural Events in Medellin
- The 17 Most Popular Events in Bogota
- Colombia Film Culture: 8 Festivals, 7 Movies to See
- Top 16 Most Important Music Festivals in Colombia
- Gastronomic Festivals in Colombia: 6 Not to be Missed Plans
- Understand Colombia’s Nightlife: Party Like Never Before
- Unforgettable NYE in Colombia: 15 Vibrant Traditions Revealed!
- The 12 Most Celebrated Christmas Traditions in Colombia
