Next: 16 to 19 Jul 2027
Fiesta de La Tirana
Chile's desert pilgrimage to the Virgen del Carmen, with thousands of dancers in devil masks and sequins.
When is Fiesta de La Tirana in 2027?
Fiesta de La Tirana 2027 runs from 16 to 19 July 2027. Other years: 2026, 16 to 19 July 2026; 2028, 16 to 19 July 2028.
About Fiesta de La Tirana
The Fiesta de La Tirana is held every year on 12 to 18 July, centred on 16 July, in the small town of La Tirana in the Atacama desert of northern Chile, in honour of the Virgen del Carmen. It brings together some 200,000 pilgrims and about 200 religious dance groups, the bailes religiosos, from Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Dancers wear heavily embroidered, sequined costumes and masks, performing dances like the Diablada, in which they portray devils, the Morenada and the Caporal, to the sound of brass bands, for days and nights on the town's main street, and eventually before the sanctuary. According to legend, the town is named for a cruel Inca princess, La Tirana, who fell in love with a Portuguese prisoner and was converted just before her death. Pilgrims offer promises and thanks to the Virgin.
Fiesta de La Tirana dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Fiesta de La Tirana date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 to 19 July 2026 |
| 2027 | 16 to 19 July 2027 |
| 2028 | 16 to 19 July 2028 |
What is eaten
- empanadas
- anticuchos
- sopaipillas
Traditions of Fiesta de La Tirana
Also part of it, and being written: Virgen del Carmen (The patron of the feast.), Atacama Desert (The setting of the festival.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "La Tirana Festival" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.