San Sebasti Feast Day: this is held in the small town of Yumbel and is one of the more colourful festivals in Chile. Hundreds of thousands of devotees converge on the town to pay homage to the saint with parades, songs and a marvellous candle display at night.

The Love Parade: takes over Santiago as thousands of partygoers dance in the streets until dawn. Dozens of floats and nearly 100 DJs from around the world take centre stage to create an unbelievable dance party.

The Santiago Jazz Festival: brings many top musicians to the city for a week of great outdoor live music in the parks. All styles of jazz are represented and all of the concerts are free.

Vinos de Chile: This wine festival brings over 30 of Chile’s vineyards to Santiago to show off their best wines. The week-long event is held in the glamorous Plaza San Francisco Hotel and includes tasting, competitions and other fun events.

Easter Week: Chile is a predominately Catholic nation, and as such the Easter week is regarded as one of the most important weeks of the year. Starting with Good Friday, Santiago holds religious ceremonies, parades and events at all the major churches.

Fiesta del Cuasimodo: this is held on the first Sunday after Easter. Huaso cowboys parade through the streets of the towns accompanied by Catholic priests who pay visits to the sick and disabled.

Navy Day: is a memorial holiday that honours the past glories of Chile’s navy, in particular, the Battle of Iquique in 1879. The president delivers his annual speech to Congress and the mood around the country is generally patriotic.

The Virgen del Carmen: is the celebration of the patron saint of the armed forces. Military parades take place across the country.

Assumption Day: The Assumption of Mary is one of the major religious events in the Catholic calendar celebrating the ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven. The city’s churches hold special religious ceremonies to mark this occasion.

Independence Day: this is Chile’s chance to celebrate their independence from Spain in 1810. The entire country takes a day off and parties hard with drinking, fireworks and parades. It is followed the next day by Armed Forces Day, which brings another round of partying.

Columbus Day: this ranks among the more popular national holidays. Most businesses around the city close as many Chileans head out of town to enjoy a long spring weekend somewhere relaxing.

The Santiago International Short Film Festival: this is one of the most important events in Latin American cinema. The festival screens short films by some of the region’s brightest artists.

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 in the cities.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception: brings open-air performances and craft exhibitions to the Parque Bustamante in the city centre.