Festivals
Festivals in El Carmen de Viboral
For a town of 70,000 people, El Carmen has a busy cultural calendar. These are the dates worth knowing.
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| Event | When | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Fiestas de la Loza (Pottery Festival) | December (2025: 4 to 8) | The main town festival, themed on ceramics |
| Fiestas del Campesino (Farmers' Festival) | August (2026: 1 and 2) | A tribute to rural families |
| El Gesto Noble theater festival | July, usually the second week | Theater, circus, dance and music |
| Viboral Rock | Yearly | Rock band festival since 2005 |
| Carnavalito | Yearly | Andean and Latin American music |
Dates change every year: confirm with the Culture Institute or the town hall before you travel.
Fiestas de la Loza (December)
The local newspaper Juventud proposed the festival in 1947, but it was only held for the first time in 1975. Since 1991 it has run alongside the cycling classic. The 51st edition ran December 4 to 8, 2025, with craft fairs, parades, a horse parade and concerts.
That edition opened the Fábrica Viva de la Cerámica, a space to watch potters at work. If pottery is your thing, this is the best time to go; read our ceramics guide first.
Fiestas del Campesino (August)
In 2026 it took place on August 1 and 2. The first day was for farming families registered through their community boards, and the second was open to everyone on the main square, with Colombian popular and tropical music.
El Gesto Noble theater festival (July)
Founded in 1993 by the Teatro Tespys company and held almost every year since, usually in the second week of July. It brings theater, circus, dance and music from Colombian and international groups.
Viboral Rock and Carnavalito
Viboral Rock started in 2005 to support local and regional bands. The Carnavalito of Andean and Latin American Music gathers groups and troupes playing the sounds of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and southern Colombia.
Book early
In December and on festival weekends rooms are scarce: the town has 27 places on Booking.com. Book early in hotels in El Carmen de Viboral or look in Rionegro, 10 km away (hotels near the airport).
Frequently asked questions
When is the Fiestas de la Loza?
When was the 2026 Fiestas del Campesino?
Sources
Checked on October 18, 2026. Prices and opening hours change: always confirm with the official source before you travel.