Peru proudly affirms its rich diversity of traditions and cultural expressions. An endless variety of festivals and celebrations in Peru throughout the year bring color, flavor, and joy to daily life. These events — filled with traditional dances, music, and deep acts of religious devotion — embody the country’s cultural heritage, filling Peruvian life with passion, unity, and happiness.
Table of Contents
Festivals and Celebrations in January
- Patron Festival of the Patron Saint Sebastian: This festival is in Cusco in the district of San Sebastian, where every year during the days of the 19th to the 26th of January, they carry out processions with diverse traditional dances in Cusco.
- Anniversary of the Foundation of Lima: Takes place on the 28th of this month and commemorates the day the Spanish founded the city. The celebration usually takes place in the historical center of the capital, accompanied by touristic and cultural activities.
- National Festival of the Marinera: This event will take place this year, making it the 53rd National Marinera Competition. This is one of the most elegant couples dances in Peru, in which both dance partners move while hitting a white handkerchief and doing a series of unique dance steps. The man wears a poncho and a hat, while the woman wears beautifully typical clothing from the region.
Festivals and Celebrations in February
- Festival of the Virgin of the Candelaria: It is one of the most important festivals in all of South America. The most important day is on the 2nd of February, when the Virgin of the Candelaria leaves the church to go round and round the streets. It is a big mix of dances. The festival lasts the whole month.
- Carnivals: From the second half of the month, the carnival is celebrated in different parts of the country. There is almost one month of festivities, with colors, music, and traditions carried out in all of Peru. Some of the most important carnivals are the ones in Cajamarca, Puno, Juliaca, Cusco, Urubamba, Ayacucho, Abancay, Tacna and in Iquitos.
- Señor de la Buena Muerte de Chocán: This celebration takes place in Piura, Sullana, and Querecotillo, the 2nd of February of each year. During the celebration, they worship and make a procession carrying the image of a crucified Christ carved out of wood, which is a ritual that started during the times of Francisco Pizarro.
Festivals and Celebrations in March
- International Festival of the Harvest of Ica: Begins on the first weekend of the month and ends with the celebration of the harvest of grapes. The programs of the activities of the festival include competitions of wines and piscos, and the presentation of local and international artists. Color and flavor in a same place.
- Señor de los Temblores: The festival takes place in Cusco between the second two weeks of March and the second of April. Here they celebrate the Lord of Miracles or “Señor de los Temblores”, as well as the carmesi flower.
- Holy Week: The date is established by the liturgical calendar and the festivities take place throughout the whole country. The most interesting here is the appreciation of the religious syncretism. Some of the sites where it is worth to spend the Holy Week are in: Ayacucho, Cusco, Arequipa, Cajamarca, Piura, and in Tarma.
Festivals and Celebrations in April
- Holy Week in Peru: Holy Week is one of the most meaningful religious celebrations in Peru, deeply rooted in faith and tradition across the country.
This sacred week commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, filling the streets with processions, sacred music, and cultural expressions that blend Catholic devotion with Andean customs.
The most famous celebration takes place in Ayacucho, declared a National Cultural Heritage for its spectacular nightly processions, floral carpets, and collective devotion that attract thousands of visitors every year.
Other cities such as Cusco, Huaraz, Cajamarca, and Lima also experience Holy Week with solemn beauty — colonial temples open their doors, families prepare traditional meat-free dishes like fish and chupe soup, and public squares become spaces for reflection and faith. - Festival del Caballo Peruano de Paso: The Peruvian Paso Horse Festival is one of the country’s most elegant and traditional celebrations — a symbol of national pride and coastal identity.
It takes place every year on the third Sunday of April at the Mamacona Ranch in Lurín, Lima.
During the festival, riders display the grace, endurance, and elegance of the Peruvian Paso Horse, renowned worldwide for its unique smooth, four-beat gait known as el andar de cuatro tiempos.
The event features horse exhibitions, rider competitions, Marinera dance performances, live criollo music, and delicious Peruvian food and pisco tastings.The atmosphere is festive and family-friendly, filled with heritage, art, and emotion — a true expression of Peru’s rural traditions and cultural pride.
- Festival de la Vendimia – Ica: The Grape Harvest Festival, known locally as La Vendimia, is one of the most joyful and touristic celebrations in southern Peru.
Held between late March and mid-April, it marks the end of the grape harvest and the beginning of Peru’s wine and pisco production season.
In the city of Ica, the heart of the Peruvian wine valley, the festival brings together winemakers, locals, and travelers in a lively event featuring parades, food fairs, competitions, concerts, and the traditional crowning of the Harvest Queen.
One of the most iconic moments is the “grape stomping” ceremony, where contestants, dressed in colorful traditional attire, crush grapes to the rhythm of criollo music — a symbol of joy and celebration.A version of this festival is also celebrated in Surco (Lima), where artisanal wineries showcase their best wines and piscos alongside live shows and local cuisine.
Festivals and Celebrations in May
- National Horse Riding Competition: The Peruvian Paso horse is an equine breed from Peru that descended from the horses that were introduced by the Spaniards during the Conquest and during the first periods of colonial rule. By the means of a resolution from the Ministry of the Exterior and Tourism Commerce, the Peruvian government made the day of this festival the third Sunday in April each year. So, on this day they put into place the National Competition of Peruvian Paso Horses.
- Señor de Muruhuay: The Señor de Muruhuay is an image of Christ being crucified, painted on a rock located in the district of Acobamba, Tarma. During this month, they have celebrations here in which the parishioners do typical dances and then enjoy traditional foods. The main day is on the 3rd of May, during which a mass takes place conducted in the Quechua language. After this, the faithful bring a letter to God to plead and thank him.
- Virgen de Chapi: Also known as the Virgin of the Purification: During this celebration, they make a pilgrimage going through the desert of Arequipa. Along the way, the faithful carry rocks to later form different cairns. These small mountains made of these rocks represent their sins. The festival also includes artificial fires, music, and typical foods. The main day of this festival is on the 1st of May.
Festivals and Celebrations in June
- Fiesta Jubilar of Cusco: Celebrations in the great Imperial city are carried out during the whole month of June, where every day incredible traditional activities are done in the city, such as the competition of traditional dances.
- Inti Raymi: This is the traditional festival of the Sun, in which the Incas worshipped. The festival also coincides with the winter solstice and the harvests. The celebration begins with a dramatization in the Qoricancha temple and the festivities continue at the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. It takes place in Cusco on the 24th of June and is an experience that is well worth witnessing.
- Qoyllur Rit’i:Qoyllur Rit’i takes place in Cusco between May and June. It is the largest pilgrimage of indigenous nations on the continent. It’s here that more than 10 thousand people walk on foot to the Ausangate Mountain, worshipping a painting of the Niño Jesus. A group of people climbs to the top of the peak to look for the Star of the Snow (Qoyllur Rit’i). They come back later with blocks of ice used to irrigate their lands with the sacred water.
- Corpus Christi:In accordance with the liturgical calendar, people celebrate this festival in May or June. Without a doubt, this is the most important celebration of Corpus Christi in Peru. It takes place in Cusco with impressive processions, festivals, typical dishes and a lot of color.
- Festival of San Juan:This is one of the most important popular festivals in the Amazon. During the festival, the people symbolize the renewal of the faith in between a statue of San Juan Bautista and the power of the water. The celebration includes music, fairs, handicrafts, local cuisine, typical dances, and of course, the presence of water at all times. The most important celebrations of the Festival of San Juan take place in Iquitos, Moyobamba, Tingo Maria, and Ucayali.
Festivals and Celebrations in July
- Fiestas Patrias: The 28th of July is Independence Day in Peru. The country celebrates this day with a variety of celebrations. The celebration includes music, food, fairs, masses, and cannon shots that commemorate the beginning of a very special day.
Festivals and Celebrations in August
- Santa Rosa de Lima: The 30th of August is the day they celebrate the day of the Patron Saint of the Americas and of the Philippines. In this way, the faithful visit her sanctuary and the shrine that she herself constructed. One tradition is when the pilgrims throw out letters with requests to the well where the Saint threw away the key to the belt of her cilice.
Festivals and Celebrations in September
- Señor de Huanca: It is celebrated in Cusco, in the district of San Salvador, where thousands of parishioners from all over Peru and other countries come to worship the Holy Image every 14th of September, which is the main day of the celebration.
- Virgen Natividad Real de la Almudena: Every 8th of September, there is a large celebration of the Virgen Natividad in the city of Cusco. It is a week filled with festivals where the Holy Image is carried around the Cusquenian streets to bless their parishioners.
- Summoning and Re-enactment of the Fiesta Inca de Warachicuy: It takes place on the third Sunday in September every year in Cusco, more precisely along the esplanade of Sacsayhuaman. It is a traditional Inca experience-based festival where they present the traditional art of the Inca culture.
- International Festival of spring: It is celebrated in the city of Trujillo, with the purpose of this festival to decorate yourself full of colors. On the main day of the event, you can get to see a parade of allegorical cars, headed by the Queen of Spring.
Festivals and Celebrations in October
- Señor de los Milagros: During the whole month of October, the faithful celebrate Cristo Moreno or the “Lord of Miracles”, but on the main day, they take part in a procession in which the faithful are dressed with purple tunics, singing and praying, accompanied by the image of the Señor de los Milagros.
Festivals and Celebrations in November
- Day of All Saints and Day of the Deceased: They celebrate this day on the 1st and 2nd of November, respectively, which is a festivity that takes place throughout the whole country. The celebration stands out more in the regions of Cusco, Puno, Arequipa, Cajamarca, and Piura. In these places you can see, better than in any other parts of the country, the mix of Christian and indigenous beliefs.
Festivals and Celebrations in December
- Santuranticuy: This celebration takes place every 24th of December in the main square in Cusco. This fair of popular art is where a large number of handicraftsmen lay out their blankets and offers their works at very good prices.
Frequently Asked Questions about Festivals and Celebrations in Peru
What are the most important festivals in Peru?
Some of the most iconic ones include the Inti Raymi in Cusco, the Lord of Miracles in Lima, the Festival of the Virgin of Candelaria in Puno, the Peruvian Independence Holidays, and the Marinera Festival in Trujillo. Each one reflects a unique aspect of Peru’s cultural identity.
Can tourists take part in festivals and celebrations in Peru?
Absolutely! Most Peruvian festivals welcome visitors warmly. Participating is one of the best ways to connect with local culture. It’s recommended to travel with local guides and always show respect for the traditions and rituals.
What kind of activities take place during Peruvian festivals?
Typical activities include parades, traditional dance competitions, religious processions, food fairs, and live music. Locals often wear colorful costumes and prepare special dishes to celebrate each occasion.
What should I keep in mind if I plan to travel during a festival in Peru?
Book accommodations early, as destinations fill up quickly during big events. Wear comfortable clothes, bring a camera, and be ready to enjoy lively atmospheres full of music, faith, and joy.
Make your dreams of exploring Inca Culture come true with our Peru travel agency that stands out for offering quality services and personalized attention at every stage of your journey.
Our Peru vacation packages are meticulously designed to cater to all your travel preferences, whether you’re in search of an exciting adventure, a relaxing break, or unforgettable vacations. We provide flexible options so you can enjoy the experience that best suits your desires.
More information:
- Visit our English website: Peru Grand Travel
- Visit our Spanish website: Viajes Machu Picchu Tours
- Visit our Portuguese website: Machu Picchu Pacotes
