San Pedro Festival in Huila
Every year, from mid-June to early July, the department of Huila comes alive with cultural pride during the Festival del Bambuco in San Juan and San Pedro. In its 64th edition, this much-anticipated event will take place from June 13 to July 1, 2025.
Declared a National Cultural Heritage of Colombia, this festival fuses music, dance, poetry, gastronomy, and regional traditions in a vibrant celebration of Huila’s identity.
A celebration that honors the soul of Huila
At the heart of the festivities is the Reinado del Bambuco, a pageant held at the local, departmental, and national levels. Each of these competitions highlights not only the beauty and charisma of the contestants but especially their skill and precision in performing the Sanjuanero Huilense, a traditional dance rich in symbolism, technique, and grace.
Day and night parades are among the festival’s most anticipated attractions. Colorful floats, folk groups, musical bands, and traditional dances take over the streets of Neiva. Among the most iconic events are the traditional “chiva” bus parade, where vibrant rural buses become moving stages, and the aquatic parade along the Magdalena River—where boats become floating displays of culture.
The festival also features a variety of cultural showcases. Highlights include the children’s folk workshops, which nurture future generations of tradition bearers; the Achira Festival, celebrating the region’s iconic snack; lively “rajaleñas” contests, a form of witty and humorous folk poetry; symphonic band performances; and exhibitions by master artisans whose work reflects Huila’s creative heritage.
Throughout the festival, visitors can enjoy a rich cultural marketplace with artisan, gastronomic, and entrepreneurial fairs. Traditional horseback parades, like the iconic Cacica Gaitana, blend rural heritage with community pride. Live concerts featuring national and international artists add a modern rhythm to the festivities, without losing the event’s folkloric essence.
The celebration concludes with a grand closing ceremony that includes the coronation of the National Bambuco Queen, awards for outstanding participants, and musical shows that mark the end of Colombia’s most emblematic folk celebration.
Official Schedule – Neiva 2025
June 13–15
Opening ceremony, sash presentations, candidate introductions, and performances by children’s folk groups.
June 16
Crowning night of the Popular Bambuco Queen.
June 17–19
Craft fair and folkloric events at Parque de la Música. Evening folkloric parade and candidate presentations for Señorita Neiva.
June 20–23
Achira Festival, music contests, Cacica Gaitana horseback parade, “rajaleñas” and symphonic bands, traditional attire parades, and cultural showcases.
June 24–26
Folk music and dance encounters. Welcoming parade for National Queen candidates, chirimía (traditional band) meetings, and orchestra festivals.
June 27–29
Craft fairs, “chiva” bus parades, national and international folk showcases, aquatic parade with cultural displays, and performances by invited artists. Main folkloric parade and coronation of the National Bambuco Queen.
June 30 – July 1
Artisan awards, press conference with the queen, and closing events in honor of San Pedro.
