Fun and festivities in Argentina - celebrations, festivals and cultural events

People in Argentina enjoy having fun, and they start doing this right from the first day of the New Year when the country has the national fiesta. In general, this is a family holiday that is celebrated together with relatives. However, this doesn’t apply to the province of Cordoba where the start of a new year is always celebrated with songs, dancing, and fine food. January marks the start of carnivals in the country. Carnivals have different peculiarities that depend on a season. Perhaps, the brightest and the most impressive carnival is held in the city of Gualeguaychú in Entre Rios Province. Its fabulous processions attract hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city every year. The date of the carnival is not fixed. Tourists can also attend a bit less impressive carnivals in such cities as Corrientes, La Rioja, and Santiago del Estero.

At the end of February and the beginning of March, Mendoza hosts the Vendimia Festival that is dedicated to harvesting grape. The celebration lasts roughly one week. It includes not only sampling delicious local wine but also a procession in national costumes, a parade, various performances, and grandiose shows. Queen of Vendimia contest is an essential part of the celebration. The festival was officially launched in 1936, and its popularity has soared since that time. La Rioja has a similar celebration, which date coincides with Vendimia. This celebration is smaller, but it is also very interesting to attend. In February and March, Buenos Aires hosts a tango festival.

In March or April, Argentina celebrates Easter week. This holiday is celebrated in slightly different ways in different regions of the country. Salta has some of the biggest festivities. Tucuman Province and the city of Tandil organize their famous theatrical shows. Processions are also very common. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

On May 25, the whole country celebrates the May Revolution Day. Argentina as an independent country was established in 1810. Parades and different festivities have become typical on this day. The Day of Flag on June 20 is also an important national holiday.

Carlos Gardel, the legendary tango dancer, died in a car accident on June 24, 1935. Argentinians always organize various dancing events, master classes, concerts, and tango performances on this day. The day of Gardel’s birth, December 11, is celebrated as the International Tango Day.

The main national holiday, namely, Independence Day, is celebrated on July 9. On this day in 1816, Argentina signed a declaration that marked its independence from Spain. Argentina was Spain’s colony since the 16th century. The whole country participates in this celebration. Festive ceremonies, parades, church masses, outdoor performances, shows, and concerts are common on this day. The president of the country traditionally makes a speech in Tucuman where the declaration was signed. The third Monday of August is the day when the country remembers General San Martin, a prominent hero in Argentina’s fight for independence. José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras, the national hero of Argentina, asked not to make his funeral solemn. However, Argentinians didn’t fulfill this wish of the general and always organize many solemn events in his memory. In August, Bariloche ski resort hosts an unusual snow festival.

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Argentina’s president, died on September 11, 1888. Known as a modern leader and teacher, he founded many famous schools, carried out reforms, and made Argentina an educated country. Nowadays, September 11 is the Teacher’s Day in the country. Local people celebrate it in a traditional way – they give flowers and gifts to teachers. September 21 is the date of a wine festival in Mateo. The celebration traditionally starts with the launch of a fountain with wine. It is impossible to imagine this festival without processions, masquerade, a parade of giant dolls, and corrida. The wine festival coincides with the gastronomic one, so tourists can see people grill meat right on the streets of the city. This event lasts one week.

The International Guitar Festival starts on October 7 and lasts 12 days. This is a relatively new event that was launched in 1995, but the festival has quickly become very popular. On October 12, the country celebrates Columbus Day. This is the day when Columbus first stepped on the land of the new continent thinking he had discovered a new route to India. This is an official day off, so many shops and venues are closed.

On October 31, the whole country energetically celebrates Halloween, the evening before the All Saints’ Day. This holiday originates in the Celtic past of Europe. Ancient Celts celebrated Samhain, the holiday of harvest and the beginning of winter. They believed that borders between the worlds were very thin on this day, so supernatural creatures could enter our world on this day. Christianity replaced this holiday with the All Saints’ Day. Argentinians celebrate this holiday the same way as in other countries – they put on different outfits, decorate their houses with “spooky” items, and kids ask candies.

Argentina celebrates Christmas on December 25. This is a family holiday that is traditionally celebrated with relatives. Family members make gifts to each other. However, Argentinians do not decorate traditional Christmas trees.