Candelaria Festival in Puno
James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.
Last Updated on February 18, 2024 by James Bustamante
Experience the vibrant heart of South American culture at the Candelaria Festival in Puno, Peru! This spectacular event, held in early February, is a dazzling fusion of Catholic traditions, indigenous Andean beliefs, and rituals, celebrating the Virgin of Candelaria, Puno’s beloved patron saint.
Over two weeks, Puno’s streets come alive with thousands of dancers and musicians donning traditional costumes in a kaleidoscope of color, rhythm, and joy. Join visitors from around the globe to witness this unforgettable display of devotion, artistry, and celebration, making the Candelaria Festival a must-visit on your travel itinerary. Discover the soul of Puno in this extraordinary festival, where music, dance, and heritage blend seamlessly, offering an experience you’ll cherish forever.
Many tourists travel to Peru exclusively for the Machu Picchu Hike, there are festivities like the amazing Candelaria Festival in Puno.
There are many Peru tour packages that not only include Cusco and Machu Picchu but also take travelers to Puno and Lake Titicaca.
As we want to highlight this region, we recently traveled to Puno to participate in the celebrations happening every February, specifically for the feast in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria, who is seen as the patron of Puno.
The Candelaria festival is the largest and most important cultural event of the year. It includes activities such as live music, folk dancing, special foods, and troupes from around the country, all assembling for this festivity.
It is considered to be one of the three most significant celebrations held in South America, along with Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and the Carnaval de Oruro, as the many symbols and artistic and cultural manifestations of cultures collide.
These include Quechua and Aymara traditions, all mixed with classic Andean culture that provide for an amazing event that can last 4 or 5 days.
Preparation for the festival begins as early as the start of December, with the feast beginning on the primary worship day of the festival, February 2nd.
Flights and Hotels for The Candelaria Festival in Puno
The Candelaria Festival takes place in a somewhat small city, which is the main reason why it is important that you reserve any flights and hotels well in advance.
Flights going in and out of Puno are relatively cheap if purchased ahead of time, with prices ranging from $70 to $100 per person. However, if you decide to put it off they prices can increase to over $200 per person.
That is, assuming that you’re able to find flights. This also holds true for Puno hotels as rooms become incredibly scarce even 2 or 3 months before the festival.
What Can You See At the Candelaria Festival in Puno?
The core of the festival is the grand parade and competition held by the Regional Federation of Folklore and Culture of Puno, where almost 100 groups are convened to portray their native dances throughout the city of Puno.
This can involve as many as 40 thousand dancers, over 10 thousand musicians and many, many others that help organize the event.
Every dance group has its own colorful costumes that come in a wide range of shapes and sizes.
This is due to the incredible amount of people involved in this undertaking, with thousands of workers including directors, embroiderers, artisans in the making of masks, boots and shoes, bells and other items as well as sponsors for the event.
For the first nine days, the “mayordomos” (those in charge of organizing the festivities), decorate the church and pay for Mass, banquets and fireworks displays.
All of this leads up to the final days of the celebration where thousands of people from all over the world line the streets in hopes of taking part in the parade.
Dances include the diablada, morenada, kullahuada, thinku, caporal and sickuri.
It must be noted the festivity of Virgen de la Candelaria —Peru’s most important religious celebration— was included in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in November 2014.
Candelaria Festival 2020 Schedule
The Candelaria Festival follows a very specific schedule per day. Just like with the activities in Cusco as well as detailed Machu Picchu Reservations, we provide all the information you need for this yearly festival.
The following is a brief overview of what you will be able to see:
Jan 24th – Feb 1st: The ninth or liturgical ceremonies will take place at the Sanctuary of the ‘Virgen de la Candelaria’.
During this period, particularly on February 1st, authorities, “K’apos” and local communities will arrive to the city. Some of them will bring herbs to a campfire that will be held after fireworks in the afternoon.
Feb 2nd: This is the main day of the festival. Masses, dances and celebrations will begin early in the morning and continue throughout the rest of the day.
The “Virgen de la Candelaria” procession will begin at 2pm, where thousands will convene to follow the Virgin Mary statue through the streets of Puno.
February 3rd A colourful, cultural dance competition will take place as a tribute to the ‘Virgen de la Candelaria’.
This is a fun celebration full of music, dance and culture. Contestants of the competition will be decorated with native outfits and eccentric masks.
February 8th: Smaller dance competitions, some even without costumes will be held in the streets and squares of Puno and the place will be full of festivities. From 6pm, shows of music will begin.
February 9th: At 5:00am, Masses of Albas will be held at the sanctuary of the ‘Virgen de la Candelaria’.
Later in the afternoon, the bands and dancers make their way to the middle of the city and by 7pm the Vísperas de la fiesta octava begins. This night also ends in a showing of fireworks.
February 10th: The day of the ‘Gran Concurso de Trajes de Luces’ (Great competition for costumes of light). On this day, dancers will perform from 7am to 5pm.
February 12th & 13th – Monday & Tuesday: Festivities continue on these days with the “Gran Veneracion a la Virgen de Candelaria” where dancers parade for 4 km in celebrations of the Virgin of Candelaria and Puno again is filled with music and colour.
Parades will continue in different destinations around Puno over the final few days. Then, to finish off the festival, awards will be given at the closing ceremony for the best dance groups.
Our time in Puno was amazing, spending a couple of weeks to see a variety of places, dances and events. The Candelaria festival was a highlight and Puno is definitely a place to visit when traveling to Peru.
If you want to know anything more about Peru, Cusco or get precise details from a certified Machu Picchu Travel Agency, contact us today or check out the rest of our blog posts at Peru Travel Blog and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our special packages.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Candelaria Festival in Puno
What is the Candelaria Festival?
The Candelaria festival is the largest and most important cultural event held to commemorate the patron of Puno.
Where is the Candelaria Festival?
The Candelaria Festival is held in Puno, Peru.
When is the Candelaria Festival?
It has been held in early February every year since 1960.
How long is the Candelaria Festival?
The full experience can last close to two weeks.
How do you get to Puno?
First you have to fly to Lima, Peru as there are no direct international flights to Puno. You then have two choices, either take a 20 hour bus ride or a 1 hour flight from Lima to Puno.
