Argentina boasts an array of cultural festivals sure to excite any traveler. From music concerts and art exhibits, South America offers something for everyone.
Cosquin, Argentina hosts one of the country’s most beloved folk festivals, where local folklore is showcased through songs and recitals. Come experience true Argentinian culture firsthand by attending this festival!
ArteBA
ArteBA, one of Latin America’s foremost contemporary art fairs, takes place annually in Buenos Aires and draws visitors from around the world. Over three days, this glamorous event includes performances, talks and exhibitions at 84 galleries throughout the city.
The ArteBA Foundation sponsors this annual festival, organized by Buenos Aires’ Culture Department with corporate sponsors to increase public awareness about local artists. The aim is to bring together curators, collectors and art enthusiasts from across Argentina in order to highlight the country’s contemporary art scene.
In 2018, ArteBA featured over 500 local artists. This event serves as an important platform for emerging creators, providing them with a platform to display their artwork before both national and international audiences.
At this year’s fair, organizers are also introducing new initiatives to increase female representation in the art world. Nine out of the 10 curators are female this year!
This is an astounding accomplishment considering Argentina’s predominantly male-dominated art scene and the fact that MALBA only recently appointed its first female director.
ArteBA’s board of directors has appointed Larisa Andreani as its new president, serving until 2021. In her inaugural role, Andreani hopes to make a difference by encouraging and supporting more female artists’ participation.
Additionally, she plans to promote Latin American artists’ inclusion into the international art community and raise funds for her foundation.
In addition to the fair, there are other events that honor Argentina’s cultural heritage. Popular carnivals take place throughout Argentina and Pachamama is a Pagan celebration of fertility and harvest that takes place each year.
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an international music festival that brings renowned artists from various parts of the world to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Originating with Chicago’s original version, this event has grown into one of the biggest festivals worldwide.
At Lollapalooza, the music lineup encompasses a broad spectrum of genres with performances from numerous international bands and artists. Typically, rock and alternative acts perform alongside heavy metal and hip hop artists.
This year’s lineup features artists like Blink-182 and Billie Eilish. Other performers include Drake, Rosalia, Tame Impala, and Lil Nas X.
Tickets for this three-day music festival can be obtained from All Access, the official ticket vendor. Unfortunately, 3-day passes have sold out but you may still purchase them for day 2.
For single-day tickets, it costs $1990 Argentine Pesos ($100 USD). We suggest purchasing your tickets through Facebook and Twitter as these ones tend to sell out within an hour or two of release.
Lollapalooza is not only a music festival, but an interactive experience as well. There’s a stage with DJs performing and kids can take part in Kidzapalooza – an activity-rich zone within the festival grounds.
Another fantastic aspect of Lollapalooza is that it’s a cashless festival, meaning you cannot pay cash for food or drinks at the event. Instead, use your festival bracelet to pay for various items throughout the weekend.
Lollapalooza is an unforgettable event you won’t want to miss. The music lineup boasts some incredible artists and it’s a great opportunity for people-mingling. If you’re into music, make sure this on your list of activities when visiting Argentina.
Septiembre Musical
Septiembre Musical has grown into one of Argentina’s premier cultural and social events since its inception. Initially, the festival focused on academic symphonic music, chamber and choral but over time has expanded to encompass ballet, opera, jazz as well as popular genres like folklore, tango and rock music.
Over 61 years, the festival has drawn many international artists such as Ravi Shankar, Duke Ellington Quartet Tokyo, Russian violinist Boris Belkin and Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla. Additionally, there has been an array of national acts in tango, pop and rock genres over these many years.
This year’s festival brought together an eclectic range of musicians from different countries. La Dame Blanche (Cuba) mixed her fierce rhymes and dramatic flute with colossal beats from across Africa; Paolo Angeli (Italy) transformed his Sardinian guitar into a percussion engine; Gili Yalo (Ethiopia by way of Israel) paid homage to jazzy funky grooves his homeland made famous in the 60s and 70s; Kaleta & Super Yamba Band (Benin and Nigeria via New York City) fused Afrobeat and juju for an upbeat rhythm that’s as cheerful as it is aggressive.
In addition to musical performances, the festival also includes art shows, dance and cultural exhibitions as well as a children’s festival. Aside from the main stage, there is also a club section where you can catch live bands ranging from up-and-comers to headliners. Past headliners have included Matt & Kim, The National, Young the Giant, The Shins and Of Monsters And Men.
Vendimia
On the grape harvest day, wine lovers from around the globe come together to toast their beloved beverage. Each country has its own special way of commemorating this momentous event; some countries, like Italy or Spain, observe a traditional harvest festival while others like Australia or New Zealand take an entirely different approach.
Argentina is no exception to this rule. The country is renowned for its high-quality wines and boasts some of the world’s top labels. As a result, many tourists visit Argentina each March to witness Vendimia – an incredible wine festival.
This popular event is a weekend-long festival that includes parades, crowning the queen, theater performances and plenty of wine (and boats). With something for everyone at this top festival in Latin America, it truly offers something special.
At the festival, visitors can sample Argentine wines as well as local cuisine. There are food booths from ethnic groups throughout Argentina – Spanish, Italian, German, Scottish and French – offering an extensive array of traditional foods from tapas to rich paellas.
Another popular activity is the Carrusel Vendimial, a parade of queens riding their chariots through the streets. They’re followed by formations of men dressed in gaucho-style outfits on horses and traditional dancers representing various provinces of Argentina and other Latin American countries.
Vendimia Festival – Celebrate the beauty of harvest through vibrant parades and music over a two-day span! Highlights include the election of the Harvest Queen (Reina Nacional de la Vendimia) as well as an impressive show to honor St. Virgen de la Carrodilla. In addition to these events, there are plenty of concerts and shows throughout the weekend-long event.
