Next: 24 Jan 2027
Alasitas
Bolivia's fair of miniatures: tiny houses, cars and money are blessed for a wish to come true, under the god Ekeko.
When is Alasitas in 2027?
Alasitas 2027 is on Sunday, 24 January 2027. Other years: 2026, Saturday, 24 January 2026; 2028, Monday, 24 January 2028.
About Alasitas
Alasitas, "buy me" in Aymara, is a festival held in La Paz from 24 January, in which stalls sell miniatures of things that people hope to own in the year ahead: tiny houses, cars, suitcases, university diplomas, banknotes, livestock, sacks of rice, even wedding rings. They are blessed by a yatiri, an Aymara priest, or by a Catholic priest, and then kept in the home. The fair is presided over by the household god Ekeko, a cheerful, pot-bellied figure, hung with miniatures, a bag of sweets, and often a cigarette in his mouth, who is the god of abundance. Buyers put a cigarette in the figure's mouth and ask him to grant their wishes. It is a festival of hope and laughter. UNESCO has listed it as a heritage of humanity.
Alasitas dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Alasitas date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, 24 January 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, 24 January 2027 |
| 2028 | Monday, 24 January 2028 |
What is eaten
- api
- buñuelos
- fried pastries
Traditions of Alasitas
Also part of it, and being written: Aymara people (The people of the festival.), La Paz (The Bolivian city.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Alasitas" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ekeko: Ciudades, CC BY-SA 4.0, source