New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
Peruvians welcome the new year with fireworks, music, and family gatherings. It’s a time of renewal and festive joy across the country.
Epiphany – Descent of the Kings (Jan 6)
Also called “Bajada de Reyes,” this marks the arrival of the Three Wise Men, celebrated with processions, traditional music, and nativity scenes.
San Sebastián (Jan 20 – Cusco)
A religious feast honoring the patron saint of the city. The celebration includes masses, processions, and traditional dances.
Andean Carnivals
Colorful and joyful festivities filled with water fights, dancing, and traditional music. Each region adds its own customs, like mask parades and symbolic offerings.
Valentine’s Day (Feb 14)
Known locally as “Día del Amor y la Amistad,” it’s a day to celebrate love and friendship, with gifts, flowers, and romantic gestures.
Holy Week (Semana Santa)
One of Peru’s most solemn celebrations, especially in Ayacucho, with dramatic religious processions, re-enactments of the Passion of Christ, and candlelit vigils.
Labor Day (May 1)
A national holiday recognizing workers’ rights and contributions.
Feast of the Cross (May 3)
Known as “Cruz Velacuy,” this is a highland tradition where crosses are decorated and paraded to sacred mountains, blending Catholic and Andean beliefs.
Qoyllur Rit’i (Pentecost – Cusco)
A massive pilgrimage to the Sinakara glacier. Dancers, musicians, and devotees walk for days to honor a miraculous image of Christ and perform rituals at high altitude.
Corpus Christi (Cusco)
Fifteen saints and virgins are paraded around the main plaza in a grand Catholic celebration filled with pageantry, music, and devotion.
Inti Raymi (June 24)
The “Festival of the Sun” is a re-creation of an Inca ceremony in honor of Inti, the sun god. It includes colorful rituals and dances at historical sites in Cusco.
Saint Peter and Saint Paul (June 29)
Patrons of fishermen, this feast is celebrated in coastal towns with maritime processions, blessings of boats, and festive meals.
Virgin of Carmen (July 16 – Paucartambo, Cusco)
A vibrant festival with masks, dances, and processions celebrating the Virgin who protects travelers and communities.
Peruvian Independence Day (July 28–29)
Nationwide celebrations of Peru’s independence from Spain, featuring parades, flag-raising ceremonies, fireworks, and traditional food.
Pachamama Day (August 1)
Offerings are made to Mother Earth with rituals, coca leaves, and traditional foods, especially in Andean communities.
Arequipa Anniversary & Assumption Day (August 15)
A double celebration: the founding of Arequipa city and the feast of the Virgin Mary, marked by parades, music, and local pride.
Lord of Huanca (Sept 14 – Cusco)
Pilgrims walk long distances to the sanctuary of the Lord of Huanca to ask for healing and protection. It’s a deeply spiritual journey.
Virgin of Mercy (Sept 24)
A celebration honoring the Virgin of Mercy, patroness of the Peruvian Armed Forces. Includes religious ceremonies and public events in cities like Arequipa.
Purple Month – Lord of Miracles
One of the most important religious events in Peru. Massive processions in Lima carry the image of the “Señor de los Milagros” dressed in purple robes.
Battle of Angamos (Oct 8)
Commemorates a naval battle during the War of the Pacific. A national holiday honoring the sacrifice of Admiral Miguel Grau.
All Saints’ Day & Day of the Dead (Nov 1–2)
Families remember deceased loved ones by visiting cemeteries, bringing flowers, and sharing traditional foods such as “tanta wawa.”
Immaculate Conception (Dec 8)
A Catholic holiday celebrating the Virgin Mary, observed with mass and local festivities.
Christmas Eve & Christmas (Dec 24–25)
Families gather to share dinner, exchange gifts, and attend midnight mass. Nativity scenes and fireworks are central to the celebration.
New Year’s Eve (Dec 31)
A lively night with music, yellow clothes for good luck, fireworks, and the traditional burning of “año viejo” dolls to leave the past behind.
