Every August, Cali transforms into the heart of Afro-Pacific heritage with the Petronio Álvarez Festival, Colombia’s largest and most vibrant celebration of Afro-descendant culture. The 29th edition of this cultural phenomenon will take place from August 13 to 18, 2025, at the expansive Ciudadela Petronio Álvarez, previously known as Unidad Deportiva Alberto Galindo.
Why It Matters
The Petronio Álvarez Festival, now in its 29th edition, is a celebration of Afro-Colombian music and heritage. With a record-breaking 52 competing groups plus over 17 guest artists, this year’s festival—titled “Africa, Colombia and the Pacific United on the Main Stage”—promises a spectacular fusion of culture and sound.
Founded in 1996 to honor the acclaimed Buenaventura musician Petronio Romano Álvarez—celebrated as the “King of Currulao”—this festival uplifts the Afro-Colombian musical traditions of Colombia’s Pacific region. Over time, it has become a cultural beacon for preserving genres like marimba, chirimía, Cauca violin, and bunde through competitions and powerful performances.
Key Stages & Features
- Main Stage: Showcases competitor bands and guest artists performing traditional rhythms including marimba, chirimía, violín caucano, and freestyle groups.
- Artisans’ Alley: Explore regional crafts made of banana and coconut fibers, Afro-style fashion, hairstyling trends, and ancestral beauty products.
- Culinary & Ancestral Drinks Plaza: Savor sea dishes like encocado, tamales de cangrejo, atollado de pescado, and cocadas; plus native aphrodisiac drinks such as arrechón, tomaseca, viche, and curado.
- Cultural Workshops at the Pedagogical “Quilimbo”: Engage in percussion contests like the famous Bombo Golpeador, educational talks, and dance & music workshops celebrating Pacific traditions.
What’s New in 2025
- Expanded Competitions: For the first time, the number of competing groups has increased from 47 to 52, adding more representation to marimba ensembles and traditional singing categories.
- Broad Zonal Tour: This year, qualifying contests are underway across the Pacific region—including Buenaventura, Puerto Tejada, Timbiquí, Istmina, even Bogotá and Esmeraldas, Ecuador—covering over 6,000 km to celebrate cultural diversity.
Tips for international visitors
- Arrive early: Food stalls and artisan tents are busiest early evening. Arrive by 5:30–6:00 PM to get a good seat or to sample the best dishes.
- Dress smart-casual and bring cash: Many artisan and food stalls accept cash; street ATMs are available but may have lines.
- Plan for crowds: Petronio draws large local crowds; expect busy evenings and allocate extra time for transport. Public transport and ride apps operate but allow extra travel time.
- Accessibility: The site provides wheelchair-accessible routes and seating areas; contact organizers in advance for reserved accessible seating.
- Language: Many vendors speak Spanish; some festival staff and volunteers speak English — bring a translation app if you’re not fluent.
- Safety & respect: Petronio is community-centric and family friendly. Show cultural respect (ask before taking close-up photos of performers or artisans).
Who Was Petronio Álvarez?
Petronio Álvarez Quintero (1914–1966) was a composer, musician, and cultural icon from Buenaventura, Colombia’s main Pacific port city. He is celebrated as one of the foremost creators of currulao, the Afro-Pacific marimba-based rhythm that blends African heritage, Indigenous influence, and coastal life experiences.
His most famous song, “Mi Buenaventura”, has become an unofficial anthem for the Pacific region — a love letter to the port city, its people, and its traditions. Álvarez’s work reflects themes of maritime life, love, and pride in Afro-Colombian identity.
The Festival de Música del Pacífico was named in his honor in 1997 to preserve and promote the region’s musical traditions, ensuring that the sound of the Pacific continues to thrive for future generations.