Peru celebrates some 3,000 festivals a year. Most of them are held in homage to a patron saint and are part of the Christian calendar adopted in colonial times, although they have blended with the magical beliefs of ancient forms of worship.
These religious festivals occur alongside pagan celebrations dating back to ancestral myths in native communities in the jungle, as well as dozens of festivals created over the following centuries. Peru’s festivals form a radiant rainbow, whose colors blend with sounds, textures and a vigorous theatrical concept aimed at reinventing history and producing a celebratory synthesis of Man and the Earth goddess, the Pachamama.
Complete and updated information in: www.deperu.com/calendario/
January
Niño Callaorcarpino and Jacobo / December 31th – January 2nd
Festival of the Negritos / 24th December – 19th January
Epiphany / January 4th – 7th
Founding of Iquitos / 5th January
Anniversary of the founding of Lima / 18th January
Ch’iaraje / 20th January
Festival of the Niño Dulce Nombre de Jesus or the “Lost Child” / January (variable)
Marinera Festival / January
Feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria (Virgin of the Candles) 2nd February – Carnival of Abancay and Apurimac / February – March
Carnival Festival of Camaná / February or March (fluctuates)
Ayacucho Carnival / February – March
Cajamarca Carnival / February – March (variable)
Negro Summer Festival / February
Huanchaco Carnival / February
Chachapoyan Carnival / February – March
Madre de Dios Carnival / February (variable date)
Ucayali Carnival / February – March
Crosses of Porcón / March
Easter / March – April (variable date)
Saint Joseph Festival / March
Wine Grape Harvest Festival / March
Holy Week (Huancavelica) / March – April
Easter in Ica / March or April
Holy Week (Tarma) / March – April (variable date)
Surfing Championship / March
Wine Grape Festival / March
National Peruvian Paso Horse Contest / April
Anniversary of the Constitutional Province of Callao / April 22nd
Anniversary of the Founding of the city of Huamanga / April 25th
May
Virgin of Chapi / May 1st
Festival of the Lord of Muruhuay / Entire month of May
Festival of the Crosses / Entire month of May
Festival of the Crosses and Avocado Festival / May 3
Feast of Alacitas and Las Cruces / 3rd and 4th May
Anniversary of Cotahuasi / 4th May
Qoyllority / variable
Lord of Torrechayoc / variable
Corpus Christi / variable
Homage to the Defenders of Alianza Field / May 26th
Feast of the Holy Spirit / May – June (variable)
June
Inti Raymi / 24th June
Feast of Saint John / June
Corpus Christi / June
Qoyllur Rit’i / June
Chachapoyas’ Tourist Week / June 1st – 7th
Sondor Raymi “The Chanka Epic” / 19th June
Chaccu in Pampa Galeras / June 24th
Saint John the Baptist’s Day / June 24th
Night of San Juan (Saint John) and the OldValley Caravan / June 23rd and 24th
Feast of Saint John the Baptist / June 24th
Saints Peter and Paul Day / June 29th
NDO EDN DARI Festival – Festival of my Land / Variable date
Feast of Saint John the Baptist / June
Feast of San John / June
Indigenous Dance Festival / June
July
Virgin of Carmen, Paucartambo / July
Anniversary of Puerto Maldonado / July 10th
Carmen de la Legua Virgin / July 16th
Eco-tourist Festival and Anniversary of the Arrival of the Austrian-German Settlers / 24th – 30th July
Cajamarca FONGAL Fair / July 24th – 31st
Festival of Santiago / 24th July to 2nd August
Anniversary of Huaraz / 25th July
Quillabamba Fests / 25th – 29th July
Eco tourist Festival of the Indigenous Communities – Coffee Festival 25th / 30th July
Festival of the Sun / 27th July
Independence Day / 28th and 29th July
Apurimac Tourist Week / 31st July to 3rd August
Feast of Señor de las Ánimas (Lord of the Souls) / 31st July to 3rd August
August
Chalpon Cross / August 5th
Santa Rosa of Lima / 30th August
Pachamama Raymi or Earth Mother Day / 1st August
Virgen de las Nieves (Virgin of the snows) / August 5th
Feast of Saint Mary of the Assumption / August 7th – 15th
“Mama Ashu” Virgin of the Assumption / 13th – 22nd August
Fiesta de la Virgen de la Asunción (Feast of Assumption Mary) / August 15th
Anniversary of the Spanish Founding of Huanuco / 15th August
Anniversary of Callao / August 20th
Yaku Raymi (Water Festival) / August 20th – 26th
Regional Festival for the World Folklore Day / August 20-22
EXPOSUR / August 24th – 31st
Tourist Week and Feast of the Oxapampa Patron Saint / 25th – 31th August
Reincorporation of Tacna into Peru / August 28th
Anniversary of the city of Arequipa / August
Chalpon Cross / August 5th
Santa Rosa of Lima / 30th August
Pachamama Raymi or Earth Mother Day / 1st August
Virgen de las Nieves (Virgin of the snows) / August 5th
Feast of Saint Mary of the Assumption / August 7th – 15th
“Mama Ashu” Virgin of the Assumption / 13th – 22nd August
Fiesta de la Virgen de la Asunción (Feast of Assumption Mary) / August 15th
Anniversary of the Spanish Founding of Huanuco / 15th August
Anniversary of Callao / August 20th
Yaku Raymi (Water Festival) / August 20th – 26th
Regional Festival for the World Folklore Day / August 20-22
EXPOSUR / August 24th – 31st
Tourist Week and Feast of the Oxapampa Patron Saint / 25th – 31th August
Reincorporation of Tacna into Peru / August 28th
Anniversary of the city of Arequipa / August
September
International Spring Festival / September – October
Festival of the Reyna del Cañaveral (Sugar Cane Queen) Tarapoto / September (variable)
Festival of the Reyna del Cañaveral (Sugar Cane Queen) Pasco / September (variable)
RURALTUR Eco-tourist Festival of Rural and Tourist Communities / first weekend of September
Virgen de la Natividad (Virgin of the Nativity) / September 8th
Festival of Saint Nicolas de Tolentino and the Virgin of the Nativity / September 7th – 12th
Virgin of Cocharcas / 8th September
Festival of the Lord of Gualamita / September 10th – 16th
The Lord of Locumba Festival / September 14th
Señor Cautivo de Monsefú (Captive Christ of Monsefu) / September 14th
Lord of Huanca / 14th September
Lord of Huamantanga / September 23rd – 25th
Ucayali Department Tourism Week / September 23 – 30
San Miguel Arcangel (Saint Michael the Archangel) / September 24th
Peruvian Pace Horse National Contest / September 29th.
Yauca Virgin of the Rosary / September – October
Tourist Week of Ica / September
October
Month of the Lord of Miracles / 18th, 19th and 28th October
Señor Cautivo de Ayabaca / October
The Lord of Luren Festival / 3rd Monday of October
Piura Jubilee Week / October
“Promised Land of Pozuzo” Eco-tourist Cattle Festival / h – 8th October
Anniversaries of Pucallpa, Districts ofYarinacocha and Masisea, and San Francisco Indigenous Community / October 20
Feast of Santa Fortunata / October 14th
San Francisco / October 4th
Anniversary of Tingo Maria / 15th October
Festival of Santa Úrsula / 21st October
Lord of the Sea / October 28th and 29th
Peruvian Music Day / 31st October
November
All Saints Day / November 1st – 2nd
Anniversary of the Founding of the City of Puno / 1st to 7th November
Moquegua Tourism Week / November 20 – 25
San Clemente Fair / November 23
December
Immaculate Conception / December 7 to 10
Virgin of the Gate / December 12 to 15
Homenaje a la Libertad Americana (South American Freedom Week) / December 2nd – 9th
Pastoral Christmas / December 23 – 30
Santuranticuy / 24th December
Galas, Laicas o Tusuq / December 24th – 28th
Anniversary of Madre de Dios / December 26th
Complete and updated information in: www.deperu.com/calendario/