New Year
New Year’s Day celebrations in Bolivia are centred on the family and see large feasts and merry-making. For some, New Year’s Day is about recovering from the party the night before.

Alasitas La Paz
This fair is celebrated each year on 24 January in honour of the God of Abundance known as Ekeko, which means ‘dwarf’ in Aymara.

Virgen de la Candelaria Copacabana
This celebration in Bolivia is centered on Lake Titicaca and the small village of Copacabana. In Bolivia, the Virgin Mary is the patroness of Bolivia and is revered for a series of miracles. The usually sleepy town of Copacabana transforms into a lively hub with parades, music, dancing and celebrations. People gather for days ahead to pray and prepare for the celebrations.

Carnival
Every February, Santa Cruz and Oruro play host to lively parades and street parties, with entertainment for all ages. It is regarded as a vibrant declaration of Bolivian culture.

Semana Santa
This is another name for the Sacred Week. On Good Friday, hundreds of pilgrims arrive in Cochacamba on foot after walking from La Paz. The festival of el Gran Poder is similar to Carnival and boasts grand processions and celebrations, although this time religion is the main factor.

Inti Raymi
The elaborate ritual of Inti Raymi is also known as the Solemn Feast of the Sun. This ritual had virtually died out, but was bought back to life about 50 years ago and is recreated every year at the summer equinox. It is based on a custom that dates back thousands of years to the Mayan people. Ceremonial events begin with a chant by the Sapa Inca in Qorikancha Square in front of the Santo Domingo Church. The Sapa Inca calls on the blessings from the sun and it is hoped that this will bring good luck for the entire year.

San Joaquin
This festival celebrates one of the country’s many patron saints. Celebrations include dancing, traditional music, brightly coloured costumes and a carnival-type atmosphere.

Festival of International Renaissance and American Baroque Music
Bolivia plays hosts to this biennial festival, which is little-known outside of the country. In the 17th century, missionaries arrived and brought local indigenous cultures together to build sacred churches and compose religious music. After the missionaries were expelled from South America in 1767, their musical tradition was lost. It was later restored in the 1980s in a project dedicated to restoring many of the missions. The restorations led to the discovery of lost archives of Bolivian Baroque music. This then triggered the launch of the biennial Festival of International Renaissance and American Baroque Music in 1996. The festival sees national and international musicians perform a widely varied selection of period music in each of the seven mission churches.

All Saints Day
The festival of All Saints is also known as All Hallows or Hallowmas. It is a feast which is celebrated in the honour of every saint which ever lived, regardless of whether they are known or unknown. In Bolivia, All Saints Day is a public holiday and a time for reflection. Many people go to church or use the holiday as a time to catch up with family and friends.

Christmas
Native Bolivians celebrate Christmas as if it were a harvest festival. Thanks are given for the conclusion of the year's work and many people give a description of the work completed during the year and propose what they want to achieve in the forthcoming year. Christmas dinner is a feast of respect for Mother Earth, who is asked to bring a successful harvest, to keep away illness and to bring good luck.

New Year’s Day: 1 January
Carnival: 19 February
Good Friday: 6 April
Labour Day: 1 May
Corpus Christi: 7 June
Independence Day: 6 August
All Saints’ Day: 1 November
Christmas Day: 25 December