Peru’s Independence Day celebrations, or Fiestas Patrias, take pride of place in July, while religious festivals and anniversaries keep things lively throughout the rest of the month. And if you missed Inti Raymi in Cusco on June 24, you can catch a second Inca sun festival in Huánuco on July 27.
Tarapoto Tourist Week
July 8 to 19, Tarapoto, San Martin
Tarapoto’s Semana Turística (Tourist Week) is a festival in honor of the city’s patron, the Santísima Cruz de los Motilones. Various activities and events take place during the extended “week,” including street parades, music festivals, gastronomic fairs and the promotion of Tarapoto's attractions.
Anniversary of Puerto Maldonado
July 10, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios Region
In 1901, Don Juan Villalta led an expedition to explore the jungles of southeastern Peru. He traveled along the Tambopata River and, on July 10, 1902, founded a port settlement on the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios Rivers. The settlement, named Puerto Maldonado, later became the capital of the Madre de Dios region and developed into an important commercial hub, thanks largely to its location near both the Bolivian and Brazilian borders. The anniversary celebrations typically stretch out for a week, with events such as boat races, gastronomic fairs and beauty pageants leading up to the main day on July 10.
Virgen del Carmen
July 15 and 16, Various Locations
The Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen is celebrated in various parts of Peru. The exact nature of the festivities varies by region, but normally involves a mix of Catholic and pre-Columbian traditions, centered on the procession of the image of the Virgen. The fiesta is particularly famous in Paucartambo, near Cuzco, where it is known as Mamacha Carmen. Bands, dance troupes and colorfully dressed devotees lead a parade through the streets to the main square, reenacting key events in Peruvian history and portraying the battle of good versus evil. Major celebrations also take place in Lima, Callao (as Virgen del Carmen de la Legua) and Celendín.
Anniversary of the Province of Huaraz
July 25, Province of Huaraz
Huaraz is a province and city in the Ancash region of north-central Peru. Home to some of the highest mountains in Peru, the region is a popular destination for climbers and trekkers. The province of Huaraz was created on July 25, 1857. The anniversary celebrations last for at least a week, with gastronomic fairs, parades and cultural activities leading up to the main event -- and a big party -- on July 25.
Festival de Apóstol Santiago
July 24 and 25, Various Regions (mainly highlands)
Celebrations in honor of Saint Santiago take place in various locations on or near July 25. The festivities are most notable in highland regions, from Ayacucho in the south through to Huancayo and the Mantaro Valley in the Central Highlands and up to Cajamarca in the north. Religious parades, dances and gastronomic fairs are common; in the Junín region, local cattle farmers traditionally brand their livestock the day after the festival.
Eco-Tourism Festival and Anniversary of the Arrival of Austro-German Settlers
July 24 to 31, Oxapampa Province, Pasco
During the 1850s, Austro-German settlers arrived in the Oxapampa Province of Peru. German culture and traditions still exist in the region, particularly in the towns of Pozuzo and Oxapampa. From July 24 to 31, towns and districts in the region celebrate the anniversary of the Austro-German settlement, alongside local eco-tourism and tourist week festivities (in Pozuzo and Villa Rica, which also hosts a native communities and coffee festival during the same week). Sporting events, beauty pageants and dance competitions take place, as well as traditional cultural and gastronomic fairs that display the region’s European heritage.
Fiestas de Quillabamba
July 25 to 29, Province of La Convención, Cusco Region
The Fiestas de Quillabamba mark the anniversary of La Convención, the largest of the 13 provinces in the Cusco region (and whose capital is the small town of Quillabamba). Typical events during the multiday celebrations include a music festival, beauty pageants, motocross competitions and traditional cockfighting tournaments.
Fiesta del Sol
July 27, La Unión, Huánuco
Inti Raymi, or the Festival of the Sun, is one of the most famous annual events in Cusco and Peru. The main Inti Raymi festival happens in June, but Huánuco’s own equivalent, the Fiesta del Sol, takes place a month later on July 27. The re-enactment of the Inca ritual takes place in the main square of the Huánuco Pampa archaeological site.
Independence Day (Fiestas Patrias)
July 28 and 29, National Holidays
Independence Day is a huge date on the Peruvian calendar. The entire nation comes alive with military and civic parades, fireworks and plenty of parties. July 28 and July 29 are both national holidays in Peru, where they are known as the Fiestas Patrias. July 28 is the actual day of Peruvian Independence, while July 29 is used to honor the Armed Forces and National Police of Peru (with a major military parade taking place in Lima).
Fiesta del Señor de las Ánimas
July 31 to August 3, Apurimac
The Fiesta del Señor de las Ánimas is a major religious festival in the Apurimac region of Peru. The image of the Señor de las Ánimas (Lord of Souls) is paraded through the streets of Chalhuanca, while fireworks, music and dancing continue throughout the four-day festival. The Yawar Fiesta also takes place at the same time, a symbolic ritual that involves tying a condor to the back of a bull. As if that wasn’t enough, Apurimac Tourist Week also occurs from July 31 to August 3, with numerous sporting, gastronomic and cultural events in the provinces of Abancay and Andahuaylas.
