Chile Events and Festivals
January
New Years Day
Chileans celebrate the New Year with as much gusto as any other country. All of the towns, especially Santiago, are big party scenes supported by fireworks and live music.
February
Festival Costumbrista Chilote
For one week in early February, the island of Chiloe celebrates its unique cultural history and folklore in the main town of Castro. A number of events bring to life the special mythology of Chiloe through various performances and a showcase of regional cooking.
Festival of Song
Late in the month, the town of Vina del Mar hosts a gala event which features many Latin American musicians during a five-day festival. The city’s outdoor amphitheatre is the site for the concerts, which are packed with partying Latin music fans.
 Semana Valdiviana
The seaside town of Valdiviana puts on a weeklong festival of maritime activities, contests and exhibitions. The highlight is the Noche Valdiviana, when the Valdivia River fills with colourfully decorated boats and candles while fireworks light up the sky.
April
Semana Santa (Easter week)
Chile is a predominately Catholic nation and as such celebrates the Easter week with a great deal of hoopla. Starting with Good Friday, every town in the country holds religious ceremonies, parades and events.
Fiesta del Cuasimodo
On the first Sunday after Easter, this interesting event is held mostly in the towns of central Chile. Huaso cowboys parade through the streets of the towns accompanied by Catholic priests, who pay visits to the sick and disabled.
May
Navy Day
Taking place a couple of weeks after Labour Day, this memorial holiday honours the past glories of Chile’s navy. In particular, the Battle of Iquique in 1879 is commemorated. The president delivers his annual speech to Congress and the mood around the country is generally patriotic.
June
Fiesta de San Pedro
Fishermen all along the coast of Chile celebrate this day in the hope of good fortune, weather and bountiful catches in the coming year. They decorate their boats, light candles and then float along the coast making for a lovely spectacle. The best town to visit for this event is Valparaiso.
Pedro Pablo
This national holiday celebrates two of the most important figures in the Catholic pantheon, Saint Peter and Saint Paul. It is a feast day, and churches across the country hold special ceremonies in their honour.
July
Virgen del Carmen
Mid-July sees the celebration of the patron saint of the armed forces. Military parades take place across the country, especially near the town of Maipu, where the past liberators of Chile defeated the Spanish to gain their independence.
August
 Assumption of Mary
Another of the major religious events in the Catholic calendar celebrates the supposed ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven. The country’s churches put on special religious ceremonies to mark this occasion.
September
 Independence Day
Chile celebrates its independence from Spain with a day off work and partying hard. It is followed the next day by Armed Forces Day, which brings another round of partying.
 Rodeo season kick-off
September marks the beginning of Chile’s annual rodeo season, which is a huge celebration in its own right. The first rodeos put on an extra big party with drinking, eating and traditional cueca dancing.
October
Columbus Day
Surprisingly, Chile puts this auspicious occasion among its ranks of national holidays. Most businesses close and the many Chileans head out of town to enjoy a long spring weekend somewhere relaxing.
November
All Saints Day
Akin to the Halloween celebrations of western cultures, this is the day to honour the dead and celebrate the living. It’s a festive holiday with local events, music and dancing.
December
 Fiesta de la Virgin del Rosario
This four day festival in Andacollo is a mixture of local folklore and Catholic tradition. It offers a typical Latin pseudo-religious experience with lots of celebrations, processions, music and drinking.
Christmas
Like all western countries, Chile celebrates Christmas. The unusual thing is that it falls in the middle of Chile’s summer. So don’t expect any snow, unless you trek up to one of the glaciers in the Andes.
National Holidays
New Year’s Day: 1 January
Labour Day: 1 May
Navy Day: 21 May
Assumption of Mary: 15 August
Independence Day: 18 September
Armed Forces Day: 19 September
All Saints Day: 1 November
Immaculate Conception: 8 December
Christmas: 25 December
Good Friday: date varies each year
Easter: date varies each year
Corpus Christi: date varies each year
Saint Peter and Saint Paul: date varies each year
Columbus Day: date varies each year
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