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Have you ever wondered what traditional, religious and cultural festivities take place in Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire? In this article, you will dive into the fascinating world of celebrations full of color, magic, dances and costumes that give life to this Peruvian city, where history, culture, tradition and spirituality intertwine in a unique way.
In this blog we will let you know all the festivities in Cusco with the dates and the epicenters of each festivity so you can explore the city of Cusco without missing anything.
The descent of kings is a religious and cultural festivity that is celebrated to commemorate the Epiphany or the visit of the Three Kings to the Child Jesus. During this festivity, the locals recreate the arrival of the Three Kings with colorful processions, traditional dances, prayers, songs and theatrical performances. It is a celebration full of joy and devotion, where Christian elements are mixed with Andean traditions, creating a unique experience for all participants.
The Feast of the Patron Saint Sebastian is an outstanding religious celebration, where homage is paid to the patron saint protector of the city. During this celebration, the main square of San Sebastian is filled with color, masses, music and dances in honor of its patron saint.
It is a special occasion the community expresses its devotion with 25 different dances with beautiful colorful costumes and energetic choreographies. You can also find chiri uchu, baked guinea pig and other Cusquenian dishes.
The festival of Ch’iaraje, goes beyond being a simple ritual confrontation between communities. It is a manifestation of deep belief in the relationship between spilled blood and the fertility of the land. In this ceremony, men use huaracas, slingshots, leather whips, sticks or boleadoras in a symbolic battle, where the community that dominates more land on top of a hill is considered the winner and has stimulated the fertility of the land and therefore receives a larger portion of the land.
The Carnival in Cusco is an emblematic celebration that marks the beginning of the festive season in Cusco. During this vibrant event, the streets are filled with color, music, water, powder, foam, concerts and traditional dances, as locals and visitors come together to enjoy a unique cultural experience in Cusco’s main square. On the other hand, in the neighborhoods of Cusco is celebrated the fun yunza which is a ritual where a tree loaded with gifts is placed and people dance around it with a machete or axe.
Holy Week in Cusco is much more than a religious celebration; it is a unique experience that combines Catholic devotion with ancient Andean traditions. During this sacred week, the city is filled with solemn processions, masses, carpets, religious ceremonies and theatrical representations that commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The main day of the holy week in Cusco is Holy Monday where the procession of the Lord of the Tremors takes place in the Plaza de Armas and surroundings where the devotees follow this figure and wait for the blessing that is given at 3 different times throughout the day.
Cruz Velacuy is a traditional festivity celebrated in Cusco in honor of the cross, considered a sacred symbol of protection and blessing. During this celebration, religious rituals, music, dances, food and prayers take place where crosses are decorated with flowers, lights and candles are lit to pay homage to faith and spirituality. Immerse yourself in this unique experience that combines Catholic devotion with Andean traditions, and discover the deep meaning of the Velacuy Cross in Cusco culture.
The Lord of Torrechayoc is a very important religious festivity in the region of Cusco, Peru. This celebration, which takes place every year, gathers thousands of faithful and devotees to pay homage to the Lord of Torrechayoc, an image venerated for its miraculous intervention in the protection of farmers and their crops. During the festivity, solemn processions, masses, folkloric dances and cultural activities highlight the deep religiosity and rich tradition of the Cusquenian people. Participants carry offerings and petitions to the Lord of Torrechayoc, seeking his blessing and protection for their families and communities.
One of the most unique and biggest festivities in Cusco and America is the Qoyllur Rit’i, which takes place in the Sinakara region at the end of May or beginning of June. This annual pilgrimage to the mountain of Ausangate gathers thousands of faithful from different parts of the country to pay homage to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit’i and the Apus. The 3-day celebration combines Catholic rituals with ancestral Andean traditions with music, dances, masses, and prayers to create a unique experience of faith and devotion.
The Corpus Christi festivity is one of the most important and emblematic religious celebrations in Cusco. It takes place between the months of May and June, 60 days after Easter. During this festivity, fifteen representative images of different neighborhoods of the city congregate in the cathedral to greet the Sacred Host, which is kept in an impressive gold monstrance of 26 kilos and 1.2 meters high.
After a solemn tour of the Plaza de Armas, the 15 saints of the corpus christi remain on display for a week and then return to their churches. Around the plaza, vendors offer a variety of traditional dishes such as chiri uchu, chicharrones, anticuchos, and a wide selection of beverages such as beer and chicha. It is a time of religious fervor and celebration, where the inhabitants of Cusco and visitors can enjoy the rich culture and traditions of this historic city.
Image of Cusquenian Traditions
This is one of the festivities that take place in the Jubilee month of Cusco, the Ritual of Renewal of the last Inca bridge Q’eswachaka is an ancestral tradition that consists of rebuilding a rope bridge made of ichu over the Apurimac River. Quechua and Ausangate communities come together to dismantle and rebuild the bridge using traditional techniques and materials. This process is a celebration of culture and community cooperation, with religious rituals and offerings to Pachamama. The ritual preserves the infrastructure and promotes cultural identity and community cohesion. It is a testament to the rich heritage of the Peruvian Andes.
Inti Raymi, known as the Feast of the Sun, was the most significant celebration in the Inca empire. This festivity took place during the winter solstice in the Plaza de Huacaypata in Cusco, marking the beginning of the solar new year for the people who venerated the god Inti, the sun. Although banned after the arrival of the Spaniards, it resurfaced in the 20th century as part of a revaluation of native culture in Peru.
The Inti Raymi ceremony had great religious, ceremonial, social and political importance, extending throughout Tahuantisuyo, the territory of the Inca empire. However, with the arrival of the Spanish and the imposition of Catholicism, the festival was banned and Andean society, which celebrated the feast of the sun, was dismembered.
Today, the celebration takes place every June 24 in Sacsayhuaman, where the splendorous Inca rite is solemnly evoked with a renewed script prepared by experts in the field. The representation is carried out in Quechua, the original language, with its corresponding translation into Spanish to facilitate understanding.
During the original ceremony in Inca times, rituals were performed to “induce” the sun to return with its rays to fertilize the earth and guarantee the well-being of the empire. The ceremony also included the renewal of the sacred fire, the sacrifice of a flame to foretell the coming year, followed by a great military march and celebrations that lasted several days.
Ollantay Raymi is an annual festivity celebrated in the archaeological park of Ollantaytambo. This emotional celebration is the representation of the story of forbidden love between Ollantay, an Inca general, and Kusi Qoyllur, daughter of the Inca Pachacutec who defied the rules of the Inca empire that limited unions to people of royal lineage, as narrated in the ancient Inca legend of Ollantay.
Through dances, music and performances, the emotions and challenges faced by the protagonists are recreated, as well as the conflict with the Inca Pachacútec.
The Wawa Inti Raymi is an adapted version of the traditional Inti Raymi, where children between 3 and 5 years old participate. In this festivity, the children prepare for months to represent the rituals and ceremonies of Inti Raymi, even learning chants in Quechua. Through this celebration, the aim is not only to teach children about the culture and traditions of the ancient Inca empire, but also to involve them actively in the preservation of these customs and connect them with their cultural heritage.
This annual celebration in July fuses elements of the Catholic religion with Andean cultural traditions. During the event, the image of the Virgen del Carmen is carried in procession through the streets, accompanied by folkloric dances, music and colorful costumes and masks. Traditional dances, such as the “qapac qolla”, “pablitos” and “chunchachas”, performed by local groups, are an essential part of the festival, representing stories and legends of the region.
In addition, Huarocondo and Pisac are other localities where the feast of the Virgen del Carmen is celebrated.
The Quillabamba Festival is a celebration of the anniversary of the political creation of La Convención since 1857. The city is filled with joy with various activities such as cultural, artistic and gastronomic fairs. During this event, congresses, educational days, adventure sports competitions and typical dance contests are held to highlight the value of the province and its customs. The Coffee and cocla fair are the highlights of the event.
Pachamama Day is a festivity held in honor of Pachamama, Mother Earth. During this day, ceremonies, rituals and offerings are performed to express gratitude and veneration towards Pachamama for the natural resources, the fertility of the land and the abundance it provides.
These offerings commonly include the burning of offerings such as coca leaves, food and other symbolic elements. It is a moment to renew the spiritual and cultural link with nature, highlighting the importance of the connection between human beings and the earth that sustains them.
The Pilgrimage of the Lord of Huanca is a religious celebration of great importance for the people of Cusco. Every year, thousands of the faithful make a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Huanca, located in the district of San Salvador, to pay homage to the Lord of Huanca, a figure venerated for his power of healing and protection.
During this pilgrimage, devotees travel long distances on foot, carrying offerings, songs and prayers. Many believe in the miracles attributed to the Lord of Huanca and come to the sanctuary in search of physical, spiritual and emotional healing.
The festivity in honor of the Patron Saint Jerónimo has the last day as the main day. The mayordomos, along with various local organizations, coordinate the organization of the festive activities, which include processions, masses and cultural events.
The mayordomos known as carguyoq play a central role in providing food and leading the celebrations in honor of the saint. This is one of the saints present in the Corpus Christi procession.
The Warachicuy was an important rite of passage in Inca society, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this ritual, young people demonstrated their physical and mental ability through various tests and competitions. The Warachicuy also had a social and political significance, as those who excelled in the tests could rise in the social and military hierarchy. This rite reflected the importance that the Inca culture gave to maturity and commitment to the community.
In the city of Cusco, an interesting combination of cultural traditions is experienced during the festivities of Halloween and Creole Song Day.
Halloween: Although Halloween is not a traditional holiday in Peruvian culture, Cusco has increasingly adopted this celebration. During the night of October 31, you can find themed events in bars, discos and restaurants, where people dress up in costumes, carve pumpkins and enjoy parties with music and dancing in Cusco’s main square.
Creole Song Day: This is a national celebration of Peru in Cusco, can be found in places like folkloric peñas and typical restaurants, live presentations of marineras, Peruvian waltzes and other styles of Creole music are organized, where Cusqueños and visitors can enjoy the rich musical tradition of the country.
All Saints Day in Cusco is a festivity rooted in the religious and popular culture of the city. Cusco families gather to visit the cemeteries and decorate the graves of their loved ones with flowers and candles, honoring and remembering them with affection. In addition to cemetery visits, traditional activities such as the preparation and exchange of special foods, such as “t’anta wawa” bread, take place. Churches also hold special masses and ceremonies where people pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased and reflect on life after death.
Santurantikuy, is a fair full of stalls where local artisans exhibit and sell a wide variety of products, including religious figures, ceramic crafts, textiles, toys and sweets typical of the Christmas season. Visitors can find everything they need to decorate their homes and celebrate Christmas in a traditional way.
In addition to shopping, Santurantikuy offers a wide variety of entertainment, with music and folkloric dance shows, theatrical performances and activities for children.
The New Year in Cusco is a festivity full of deep-rooted traditions, where the cleaning and purification of homes and public spaces mark the beginning of celebrations full of symbolism. Ceremonies in sacred places such as Saqsaywaman and Qorikancha, with offerings to Pachamama, invoke prosperity for the coming year.
The emblematic “burning of dolls” represents renewal and hope for a new cycle, while family gatherings and street festivities with music and folkloric dances reflect joy and optimism for the future.
After knowing all the festivities in Cusco and want to immerse yourself in these celebrations we recommend you to book your stay with us that we are located 5 minutes from the main square where most of the festivities of Cusco are given here, you can see here our rooms or talk to us via WhatsApp. Do not miss the opportunity to be part of these unique and unforgettable experiences!
Dive into the city’s vibrant energy during the day and return to the calm and comfort of our hotel as night falls. Your home away from home awaits you with open arms.
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