When planning a holiday in Argentina, we often think of visiting cities, hiking in nature, or even planning a fun activity. After arranging flights, accommodation, and maybe transportation, the next thing we do is check out museums, interesting spots outside the city, and nature trails.
And it’s only when we are already there that we hear from locals about what an awesome festival in Argentina that we often miss out on! Well, we don’t want to miss those anymore. So we need to promise ourselves to include in our next Argentina trip some of these cool celebrations in Argentina, so we can join the fun.
In places like South America where the culture is just so varied from what we know at home, taking part in an ancestral festival is such a unique occasion; it’s an ocean of knowledge about the nation and a string of unforgettable memories. Adding in the vulnerability and friendliness of the residents, it’s a guaranteed 5-star entertainment
Argentina is a big nation with a very varied culture – that is also evident in its festival event. Around the country, the summer months are January and February, and that’s when many of the festivals in Argentina happen. But we can find something appetizing at any time of the year.
Here we have listed down some of the most popular Argentina festivals for you to be a part of during your visit:
Table of Contents
1. Oktoberfest
Argentina possesses its version of the famous German beer festival, Oktoberfest. This festival in Argentina is celebrated for drinking pleasure and frolic takes place in the town of Belgrano which was originated by the Germans. The cliffs of Cordoba are home to a large number of immigrants of German descent. Therefore, when they came here to dwell, they also carried with them an edition of the German Oktoberfest.
It takes place over October’s long weekend (typically around the 12th), in the German-founded city of Villa General Belgrano, a beautiful setting between Cordoba’s sierras chicas (hills). The actual Oktoberfest takes place in Munich, Germany, but German immigrants living in Cordoba agreed decades before to begin their edition of it.
We can say that this Argentine festival is about celebrating beer and German culture. The city’s vast beer garden works as the major venue, were beer brewers from all over the nation gather to auction their nicest products, as well as popular German food.
This Celebration in Argentina takes place in the city’s beer garden. Breweries that were set up decades ago come here to retail their in-house beers, German beliefs, and food to the folk. Head into Oktoberfest today to have an epic experience.
When: During October
Where: Cordoba
2. Vendimia
Vendimia is an annual ancestral affair that takes place in March. It is held in the wine capital of Argentina, Mendoza. The lengthy harvest season delivers grapes and it is quite a knowledge to observe the journey of the grape from fruit to wine glasses. Regional wine tours are held for visitors to drink the wines of the breweries in the region.
Folk gathers to enjoy the grapes being converted into exquisite wine. This festival began in 1936 and has risen to a large set of shows, concerts, and gatherings that take place throughout the week.
This festival in Argentina had its beginning in the 1930s and was relatively a simple event. But, presently it has evolved into a huge event where you can have good wine, eat delicious food, and relish musical concerts. If you’re interested in Argentina Wine Tours, this is the perfect festival for you!
When: March
Where: Mendoza
3. Buenos Aires Tango Festival
Buenos Aires is assumed as the exclusive region for Tango across the globe. This festival in Argentina takes place every year in August. Dancing pairs from across the globe come here to be a part of the Tango festival.
Professional as well as amateur dancers populate the scene to enthrall you with some great dance moves over the city. This festival features a Tango competition with dancing duos from all over the globe. During this period, you can see professional performances all over the town.
You can furthermore learn the fundamental Tango steps on a Tango trip through Buenos Aires! The unrestricted two-week competition is the world’s largest tango festival with 2,000 entertainers and nearly half a million tourists. The Tango Festival is one of the outstanding Argentina festivals you can not skip.
For the uninitiated, there are Tango classes that are regulated by the event organizers. If that’s not sufficient, then possibly the truth that it is a free two-week celebration will make you wish to do the tango.
When: August
Where: Buenos Aires
4. Gualeguaychú Carnival
The Gualeguaychú Carnival is a celebration of Catholic origin taking place in almost all parts of Argentina. The exclusive event, yet, occurs in Gualeguaychú, hence the name. Situated a couple of hours’ drive away from Buenos Aires, the carnival has many shows, concerts, and parades.
The Carnival of Gualeguaychú is considered one of the most essential carnival parades in the world, along with the carnivals of Rio de Janeiro and Venice. This extraordinary artistic exhibition has been around for over thirty years and boosts more and more supporters every year.
Each Saturday in January and February, the town of Gualeguaychú spruces up to introduce one of the most common events in the region, which summons thousands of fans that appreciate the brightness, the pleasure, the thrill, and the temp of the comparsas march before them at the regional Corsódromo (Piccini and Ayacucho Streets).
Three floats fight to win the first prize and attain the essential score to be part of the subsequent Carnival. The assessed items include clothing, the synchronicity of choreographies, and the floats. All this as well as the topics selected by the managers will make viewers vibrate and dance in the hallways as they praise dancers and singers.
Although it’s not as vast as other festivals in Argentina, you can still expect to see a large populace during the weekends, when the festival parades take place. There is an environment of partying with music, food, drinking, and dancing.
When: February/March
Where: Gualeguaychú, Entre Rios
5. Cosquin Festival
The modest town of Cosquin is home to one of the most popular festivals in Argentina. The festivals started as just music festivals with local folklore embedded in the form of songs and recitals. Yet, in the later years, this celebration has got on to incorporate food stalls, drinking competitions, and folklore recitals. You must make a step to explore this city to imbibe yourself with regional folklore and culture.
Thus the Folklore Festival in Cosquín town is an inspiring occasion. It attracts not only those who love folk culture but everyone who wants to attend a lively, authentic celebration of Argentina. The entertainment goes on for 9 full days, giving rise to one of the most notable folk festivals in Latin America.
Don’t skip the so-called peñas which are outside of the authorized program. They are sort of lawn parties with folk melodies and dancers, and anyone can participate. They pop up like mushrooms on every road; if you don’t discover any, just ask around.
When: January/February
Where: Cosquin, Cordoba
6. Buenos Aires Carnival
The Buenos Aires Carnival is one of the most famous festivals in Argentina. The march takes place annually in February. It is extended over a long weekend and has temptations like water bombs, ancestral customs and murga processions, and numerous joyous activities. The most famous scene is the Murga parade.
This celebration in Argentina is based around the murals, community groups that outfit themselves in bright clothing and perform pleasant music, and dance on the roads. This is probably the most well-known celebration in Argentina
The celebration often contains commentary on life, recent affairs, and the community. Entertainers in shiny clothing and top hats whirl and kick to the rhythmic vibration of the drums, snare drums, cymbals, and whistles as they march through the roads in performances for which every group practices all year round.
Judges pick a victor based on the styles and designs of their dresses, the choreographies, the song, and the number of people attending. More than 100 murgas take place across varied communities every weekend in February.
Murga is a genre of song that takes place in Argentina festivals. It is conducted alongside acrobatic activities by dancers who rhythmically hit the percussive instruments. Be a part of it if you wish to recognize the social history of the nation.
When: February
Where: Buenos Aires
7. Septiembre Musical
The September Musical is held in October. Yeah, the title indicates contrarily but that’s how it is. This socio-cultural celebration of Argentina has been very famous and is admired by citizens. This annual arts festival was initially dedicated to intellectual musical symphonies, chamber music, and classical music.
Since its inception, the festival became a cherished social and cultural event as it would receive, in successive editions, artists like Ravi Shankar, Duke Ellington Quartet Tokyo, the virtuoso Russian violinist Boris Belkin, the CamerataBariloche, the pianists Bruno Leonardo Gelber, Martha Argerich, Miguel Ángel Estrella, The New York Quartet, Porteña and Mariano Mores Orchestra.
Promoted by the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the September Musical was initially dedicated to academic symphonic music, chamber, and choral music, but over the years was developing disciplines such as ballet, opera, jazz, and popular genres like folklore, tango, rock, and pop.
Yet, over the years the event has developed various other disciplines containing blues, jazz, opera, pop-rock, tango, and recitals of local folklore. Visit this festival to get a flavor of true Argentinian ancestry.
When: October
Where: Tucuman Province
8. Buenos Aires Jazz Festival
Jazz has developed a niche for itself in the souls of Argentines. So, much so, that the provincial government launched the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival to celebrate this affection for Jazz. This festival in Argentina is a music fiesta where various music categories are played like swing, jazz fusion, bebop, nuevo tango, and more.
The event has shifted to several venues throughout the town and is observed by over 50,000 folks every year. The concerts are held on more than 20 stages all around the city, some of them in the open air. The concerts are considered one of the largest, most prominent, and most beautiful jazz events in Argentina. Some of the concerts are free.
Since the initial days of the festival, which started in 2008, the festival has hosted leading international singers, along with regional talents, which develop, among other things, a wonderful joint chorus.
In addition to shows, special film screenings, master lessons, dance events, and jam sessions are free to the common folk.
It honors international Jazz idols as well as unskilled local talent equally. Do make a step to visit this sonic festival if you deem yourself to be a Jazz fiend.
When: August
Where: Buenos Aires
9. Jesus Maria Festival
JesúsMaría festival is an occasion for folkloric melody and horsemanship. You will experience Argentine folk music and watch gauchos (Argentinian cowboys) who perform their skills on horseback. This festival in Argentina is the most important meeting in Argentina (and perhaps in South America), featuring folklore music and horsemanship skills.
Each year in January, this very Argentine celebration takes place in the town of JesúsMaría. The city is situated 50 km north of the capital town of the region of Córdoba. People gather in an arena called José Hernández Amphitheater. It has an oval form with a theatre located in the northern region where soloists and traditional groups perform, and a rider region that has enclosure corrals in the theatre.
If you are eager about Cordoba’s rich Jesuit past, this is one of the promising things to do in Cordoba. This event will be one of the acmes of your journey. Also, Jesus Maria is one of the Argentina wine junctions in the country. Don’t neglect to explore the vineyards and sip their exquisite wines!
When: January
Where: JesúsMaría
Argentina is such a huge nation with such a distinct community. Attending festivities is a good and satisfying means to experience it first-hand with all your feelings. You can search them all in this chart.
So, there you go. This chart of ‘Festivals in Argentina’ will assist you to explore the community of the nation and make some incredible memories. Keep in mind the timing and area of the respective festivals when you schedule your journey to Argentina. We hope you relish the food, people, and Argentina celebrations.
