Marimba, Flavor, and Roots: This Is How Petronio Álvarez 2025 Is Lived

Cali is already pulsing to the rhythm of marimbas, cununos, and guasás. From August 13 to 17, the city opens its heart to welcome locals and visitors to the 29th edition of the Pacific Music Festival “Petronio Álvarez”—an event that is more than just a festival: it’s an embrace of our Afro-Colombian heritage, a song to our roots, and a celebration where joy knows no limits.

This year, Petronio makes history: 52 musical groups arrive to share their voices, their drums, and their stories. And alongside them, Cali transforms into a living showcase of Pacific culture:

• The Ancestral Beverages Pavilion, where viche and its flavors pass down secrets from generation to generation.

• Traditional cuisine, with aromas of sea, jungle, and home.

• Afro crafts and fashion, which are not only worn but felt.

• The Quilombo Pedagógico, where words and knowledge also have their stage.

And like every Colombian celebration, there are no passive spectators here: at Petronio, you sing, dance, learn, taste, and let yourself be carried away by the energy of a people who know how to celebrate.

The Heart of the Festival: Where and When the Magic Happens

1. Ciudadela Petronio Álvarez (formerly Unidad Deportiva Alberto Galindo)
From Wednesday, August 13 to Sunday, August 17, this venue becomes the Great House of the Pacific, where music, flavors, and knowledge come together.

• Main stage: Starts at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday with an opening ceremony, followed by marimba, chirimía, Cauca violins, and traditional singing competitions until 11:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday keeps the same schedule, and on Sunday, the grand finale begins at 5:00 p.m., ending with the closing and Diario El País awards ceremony.

2. Traditional Kitchens and Native Beverages
Open daily (Aug 13–17) from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., serving dishes like encocado, tapao, arroz clavado, piangua, and sancocho de gallina criolla, paired with viche, tumba catre, arrechón, and tropical juices—each with stories that warm the heart.

3. Crafts, Fashion, and Lutherie
A vibrant pavilion open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Aug 13–17), where textiles, jewelry, traditional instruments, and Afro fashion are displayed like handmade poetry. Also includes talks on ancestral techniques.

4. Quilombo Pedagógico Germán Patiño Ossa
From 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. until Sunday, August 17, this is the soul and conscience of the festival: dance and singing workshops, instrument-making, talks, screenings, and oral tradition gatherings from Afro communities.

5. Caserío del Pacífico
From 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., the Caserío is a small town braided with living memory: architectural replicas, artisanal fishing demonstrations, net weaving, medicinal drinks, and live music that transports you to the heart of the region.

6. Beyond the Stage
Petronio extends its cultural embrace to the city and communities:

• Wednesday, Aug 12: marimbas and chirimías bring life to Villahermosa Prison, honoring its residents with music.

• Thursday, Aug 13: Puerto Mallarino dances and sings with guest artists.

• Saturday, Aug 15 at 4:00 p.m.: The township of El Hormiguero turns into drum, song, and cultural resistance.

Public libraries in districts 3, 4, 7, 11, 15, 16, 18, 21, El Hormiguero, and La Playa host “Singing and Telling the Flavors of the Pacific,” a gathering of oral memories. All free and open to anyone’s soul.

Festival Day-by-Day

Cali: Pacific Capital in Celebration

Cali is not just the place where the festival happens—it’s part of the soul that sustains it. During Petronio, the whole city seems to beat to the same rhythm as the marimbas.

A stroll through San Antonio, with its colonial houses and steep streets, means encountering street musicians improvising a currulao while children play on the corners. On the Boulevard del Río, families, tourists, and locals wander among artisans, while the aroma of freshly roasted coffee mingles with that of sugarcane. The iconic Gato del Río stands watch, as colorful braids and vibrant dresses fill the city with life.

The afternoon breeze invites you to linger on a terrace, listening to salsa—because here, even though the festival belongs to the Pacific, salsa is the city’s permanent heartbeat—and to toast with a lulada or a cholado that refreshes the soul.

And when night falls, the city transforms: bars, plazas, and streets become improvised stages. The steps of currulao and bunde mix with laughter, applause, and the distant sound of a clarinet. In these days, Cali doesn’t just celebrate—it celebrates itself, proud to be the bridge between the Pacific and the world.

Tierra Querida Tips to Experience It Like a Local

What to Do & See

• Enjoy the concerts until your feet can’t dance anymore.

• Take time to explore each pavilion—every corner holds stories and artisan hands worth knowing.

• Explore Cali if you can: the Gato del Río, Loma de la Cruz, San Antonio neighborhood, Boulevard del Río… and if possible, take a salsa class.

What to Wear

• Light, fresh clothing that lets you move to the rhythm of currulao.

• Bright colors, prints, and accessories that celebrate our Afro-Colombian heritage.

• Comfortable shoes for walking, dancing, and exploring without getting tired.

• Don’t forget a hat or cap, sunglasses, and a light bag for your treasures.

Practical Tips

• Use special MIO bus routes to get home safely at night.

• Arrive early for better views of the stages and more time to enjoy.

• Book your accommodation in advance—the city fills up with visitors who, like you, don’t want to miss it.

Petronio is more than a festival: it’s the voice of our ancestors sounding through drums, the smell of coconut and mint, the smile of someone selling you a handmade necklace, the magic of a people who resist through song.

At Tierra Querida, we celebrate that Colombia is a country you live with all five senses… and the soul. And this August, that soul plays in marimba tones.

See you at the Great House of the Pacific.