Festivals and Events in Cartagena, Colombia

Founded in 1960, this festival of film and TV takes place on an annual basis, normally from around the 26th of February until the 6th of March. The festival promotes Latin American film and TV productions, and around 80 to 90 films are shown throughout the event in various Colonial venues around the city.

This week long festival of music takes place around the 9th of January every year. The concerts run on the theme of a different composer each year and there are around 25 concerts throughout the festival that are held at various venues around the city such as churches, theatres and plazas.

An annual festival of literacy held from the 27th to the 30th of January. During the event, huge audiences are attracted to hear talks and readings from great Latin American authors and poets. The four-day event takes place at a number of venues around the city and also includes day and evening exhibitions of science, art and photography

Every year for the entire month of July an international music festival is held in Cartagena. The event hosts music performances from all over the world and is themed on a different country each year.

Every year from the 13th to the 16th of November, Cartagena hosts the Colombian National Beauty Contest. Huge crowds gather to watch the magnificent floats and elaborate costumes that accompany the reigning beauty queen and all current contestants. For four days the carnival is an explosion of colour, festivity, dancing and singing.

This festival is held throughout September every year and is a celebration of the strong connection between the two World Heritage cities of Havana in Cuba and Cartagena in Colombia. There are traditional music and dance workshops, art exhibitions and cultural activities in various forms throughout the entire month.