Marinera Festival
Held in the major coastal city of Trujillo in the Gran Chimú stadium, this 10-day event features the most important marinera festival in Peru. The marinera is a dance competition for couples organized by the Club Libertad and also features processions of floats.

Virgen de la Candelaria
Held in the southern town of Puno, this 18-day festival attracts over 200 groups of musicians and dancers for the celebration of the Mamacha Candelaria. The first nine days of the festival involve banquets and fireworks displays, while the music and dancing takes place in the second half. The most important part is the virgin procession through the town.

Carnival in Cajamarca
This month-long carnival features a series of masked parades, festivals and parties, as well as the tradition of dancing around a tree known as the yunza. During the dancing festivities, couples hack at the tree with axes and whichever couple fells it must plan the following year’s yunza.

Easter Week in Ayacucho
Re-enactments of Christ’s last days on Earth can be seen with the parading of the Virgin Mary and Saint John and the candle-lit procession of Christ. This is followed by the resurrection later in the week.

Caballos de Paso
The mid-April Caballos de Paso in Lima is the National contest of the Peruvian stepping horse, with horse breeders from all over Peru laying on some fantastic shows.

Festival of the Crosses
Taking place all over the highlands region, the Festival of the Crosses is a celebration giving thanks for bountiful harvests which stretches back for centuries. The crosses of each community are decorated and lead through the streets to neighbouring churches.

San Juan
Literally meaning St John the Baptist's day, San Juan is held all over the Peruvian jungle region celebrating the importance of water in the Amazon region. Iquitos sees the biggest celebrations marking the festival, which takes place on June 24 and features many public events with much food and music.

Feast of the Virgen del Carmen
Held in the colonial town of Paucartambo, four hours from Cuzco, the feast honours the area’s patron and involves musicians, singers and dancers in the town and on housetops. The procession scares away the demons, concluding at the cemetery.

Festivity of the Virgin of Cocharcas
This is a six-day event held in Junin and features folklore shows, fairs, dancing and bullfights to worship the Virgin of Cocharcas Patroness of all Mantaro Valley.

The Lord of Miracles Procession
The Lord of Miracles Procession is a ten-day event in Lima and the largest religious procession in the Americas. The procession involves the showing of the black Christ that was painted on a church wall and survived the earthquake of 1746. The bullfight season also kicks-off at this time as a mark of respect.

All Saints Day and Day of the Dead
Dedicated to the memory of the dead, All Saints Day and Day of the Dead see Peruvians honouring the dead with Mass, the bringing of flowers to the cemetery and sharing food with the dead. This tradition stems back to pre-Hispanic times in Peru.

Santuranticuy Holiday
Held on December 24, the Santuranticuy Holiday is one of the largest arts and crafts fairs in Peru. The fair dates back to the Vice-regency and is held in the main square in Cuzco. Artisans sell their figurines, arts and crafts, and pottery. Ponche is served during the chilly evenings of the fair; this is a hot and sweet rum punch.

New Year’s Day: January 1
Maundy Thursday: April 13 (1/2 day)
Good Friday: April 14
Labour Day: May 1
St Peter’s and St Paul’s Day: June 29
Independence Day Celebrations: July 28-29 (2 days)
St Rosa of Lima Day: August 30
Angamos Battle: October 8
All Saints’ Day: November 1
Immaculate Conception: December 8
Christmas Eve: December 24 (1/2 day)
Christmas Day: December 25