The Chontaduro and Marimba Route: Gastronomic and Musical Events of the Afro Diaspora in Cali

The Chontaduro and Marimba Route: Gastronomic and Musical Events of the Afro Diaspora in Cali

If you arrive in Cali asking about the nightlife, they'll tell you about salsa. But if you ask about the soul of the city, they'll take you to the Pacific. Cali is not just the salsa capital; it is the Afro-Colombian capital of the country, with over a million people who carry in their blood the rhythms of the marimba, the flavor of chontaduro, and the memory of their ancestors. In this guide, put together with data from June 2026, I'll tell you where and when to find the events that celebrate this living heritage: marimba festivals, traditional cook markets, Fiestas de San Pacho, and workshops where grandmothers and masters teach you to cook and play as it's done in the territory. This is not window-dressing tourism; it's an invitation to sit at the table of the diaspora.

Historical and Contextual Introduction

To understand the Afro events in Cali, you need to know that the city is the meeting point for migration from the Colombian Pacific since the mid-20th century. People from Chocó, Cauca, Nariño, and Valle arrived fleeing violence and seeking opportunities, bringing with them the chonta marimba, boga songs, currulao, and a cuisine that smells of coconut, smoked fish, and plantain. Today, neighborhoods like Obrero, Siloé, Potrero Grande, and Ladera are epicenters of this living culture.

The events I'm going to tell you about are not inventions of the city hall: they are community processes that have been going on for decades. The Festival of Marimba Music was born in the backyards of houses, the Pacific cooks have been gathering since the 90s in the market squares, and San Pacho is a tradition that Cali natives of Chocoan descent brought from Quibdó. Here you won't see shows staged for tourists; you'll see a community celebrating its identity. And if you behave yourself, they'll invite you to dance.

What to Do: Unmissable Events on the Afro Route of Cali

Festival of Marimba Music and Traditional Songs of the Pacific

This is the most important event for Pacific music in Cali. It takes place every year, usually between August and September, and has two main venues: the Teatro Municipal de Cali (Calle 9 # 5-22) and the Plazoleta in the Obrero neighborhood (Carrera 15 with Calle 1). Entry is free at the plazoleta and has a modest cost at the Teatro Municipal, with prices in June 2026 ranging from $15,000 COP to $30,000 COP.

Over three days, groups from Guapi, Tumaco, Timbiquí, and Buenaventura take the stage. The chonta marimba, cununos, guasá, and the voices of the cantadoras fill the air. The most beautiful thing is that at the Obrero plazoleta, people bring their plastic chairs, children run around, and adults dance currulao without shame. If you are a visitor, don't stay in your chair: the invitation is to move your hips to the rhythm of the marimba, which is slower than salsa but just as rhythmic.

Fun fact: The chonta marimba is an instrument declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. Each key is hand-carved from chonta wood, a palm from the Pacific, and tuned with beeswax. The master luthiers who make them are becoming increasingly scarce, so seeing them played live is a privilege.

Gathering of Pacific Cooks at Santa Elena Market Square

If you want to understand Afro gastronomy in Cali, you have to go to the Santa Elena Market Square (Carrera 10 # 5-25, downtown). There, every year between October and November, the Gathering of Pacific Cooks takes place, organized by the Network of Traditional Pacific Cooks. There is no exact fixed date, so it is recommended to check Cali's cultural agenda before traveling.

During the event, the market squares become a laboratory of flavors. The cooks, almost always older women, prepare dishes like:

• Arroz atollado with smoked fish: a creamy rice that includes pork, chicken, and fish, all cooked with coconut milk.
• Encocado de jaiba or de pescado: fish or crab cooked in a thick coconut sauce with onion, garlic, and chili.
• Chontaduro with salt and honey: the most emblematic fruit of the Pacific, eaten boiled, with salt or honey. They say it's an aphrodisiac.
• Fish empanadas with hogao: corn dough filled with shredded fish and creole sauce.
• Artisanal cane liquor: don't leave without trying a "guarapito" or a "viche" (cane distillate from the Pacific).

Prices are affordable: a main dish costs between $12,000 COP and $20,000 COP. Arrive early, because the cooks work with what they get that day, and when it's gone, it's gone.

Fiestas de San Pacho (St. Francis of Assisi) in Cali

San Pacho is the biggest festival of the Chocoan diaspora in Cali. It is celebrated from September 20 to October 5, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Chocó. Although the main celebration is in Quibdó, there is a replica in Cali organized by the Chocoan community, especially in neighborhoods like Obrero, Retiro, and Ladera.

During these two weeks, there are parades of "alabados" (religious chants), dance troupes, marimba concerts, and, of course, lots of food. The streets fill with stalls selling:

• Mazamorra de plátano: a thick soup of green plantain with coconut milk and fish.
• Aborrajados de pescado: ripe plantain stuffed with fish, battered and fried.
• Borojó juice: a fruit from the Pacific that looks like a giant avocado and is used to make energizing juices.

The most important part of San Pacho is the "procession of the saints," where families bring out their images of St. Francis and parade them through the streets while singing and dancing. If you are a visitor, respect the religious character of the event: it is not just any party, it is an expression of faith. But there is also room for the party: at nightfall, popular street festivals take over the corners.

Cooking and Percussion Workshops: Learn with Local Grandmothers and Masters

If you want to go beyond just watching, there are workshops that teach you to cook and play like in the Pacific. These workshops are not commercial; they are organized by cultural collectives in neighborhoods like Siloé, Ladera, and Potrero Grande. Some references are:

• Fundación Cultural La Marimba (in the Obrero neighborhood): offers marimba, cununo, and guasá workshops for beginners. The masters are traditional musicians who have played at international festivals. Workshops are usually on Saturday mornings, costing $20,000 COP to $30,000 COP per session.
• Colectivo de Cocineras del Pacífico (in Ladera): organize cooking workshops in private homes. You learn to make encocado, arroz atollado, and peel chontaduro without getting your hands dirty. The cost is voluntary, but it is suggested to leave $15,000 COP per person.
• Corporación Cultural Siloé (Siloé neighborhood): offer guided tours of the neighborhood that include a stop at a house where a grandmother prepares a typical lunch while telling you stories of migration. The tour costs $40,000 COP per person and lasts half a day.

Important: These workshops do not have a website or online booking. The best thing is to contact the Cali Secretary of Culture (phone: 602 885 8855) or ask at the Museo de la Marimba (Carrera 5 # 10-30) so they can put you in touch with the collectives.

Where to Eat or Drink: Must-Stop Spots on the Chontaduro Route

Santa Elena Market Square

I already mentioned it above, but it deserves its own section. This market is the gastronomic heart of the Pacific in Cali. Besides the Gathering of Pacific Cooks, any day of the week you can find stalls selling:

• Chontaduro juice: thick, sweet, and orange. They serve it with milk or plain. It costs $3,000 COP.
• Boiled chontaduro: you buy it in small bags, peeled and ready to eat with salt. Perfect for breakfast.
• Fried fish with patacón: a classic from the Pacific coast. The fish is mojarra or snapper, fresh and crispy.

Address: Carrera 10 # 5-25. Open Monday to Saturday, 6am to 5pm. Sundays close early.

La Casa de la Marimba

This is a restaurant and cultural center in the Obrero neighborhood (Carrera 15 # 2-40). They are open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 9pm. The menu changes according to the season, but there is always encocado de pescado, arroz atollado, and borojó juice. Dishes cost between $18,000 COP and $25,000 COP. On weekends they usually have live marimba performances at no extra cost.

Street Stalls in San Pacho

During the Fiestas de San Pacho (Sep 20 - Oct 5), the streets of the Obrero and Retiro neighborhoods fill with street vendors. Try the "viche" (artisanal liquor from the Pacific) sold in plastic bottles. It costs $5,000 COP per glass. There are also "pandebono de pescado" (a cheese arepa stuffed with fish) and "cocadas" (coconut sweets).

Restaurante El Pacífico in Potrero Grande

In the Potrero Grande neighborhood, east of Cali, there is a family restaurant called "El Pacífico" (Carrera 28 # 50-12). It has no website or social media, but locals know it. They serve executive lunches Monday to Saturday, 11am to 3pm. The daily special costs $12,000 COP and includes soup, a main course (rice, meat or fish, salad), and juice. It is home-style cooking, unpretentious, but with the flavor of the Pacific.

How to Get There and Transportation

Cali has a mass transit system called MIO (Masivo Integrado de Occidente). It is economical (a ticket costs $2,600 COP in June 2026) and connects most neighborhoods. For the Afro route, these are the key stations:

• For the Obrero neighborhood: Take the "San Pascual" station (Troncal Centro line) and walk 10 minutes south. Or the "Fray Damián" station (Troncal Sur line) and walk 5 minutes.
• For Santa Elena Square: "Plaza Caycedo" station (Troncal Centro line) and walk 3 blocks south.
• For Siloé: Take feeder route A6 from the "Capri" station (Troncal Centro line). The bus drops you off at the entrance of the neighborhood.
• For Potrero Grande: "Potrero Grande" station (Troncal Oriental line) and then walk 10 minutes or take a mototaxi ($2,000 COP).

If you prefer a taxi or Uber, a trip from downtown to Obrero costs about $12,000 COP. To Siloé or Potrero Grande it can cost $20,000 COP. I recommend using Uber or Didi for safety, especially if you arrive at night.

Local Tips

• Don't be afraid of chontaduro: It is a fruit that looks like an orange avocado. It is eaten boiled, with salt. It is not sweet like typical fruit, but rather mealy and salty. Many tourists are surprised, but it is the taste of the Pacific.
• Bring cash: Street stalls, market squares, and community workshops do not accept cards. The nearest ATMs are downtown (Carrera 10 with Calle 5) or in shopping malls.
• Dress comfortably: Events are outdoors, in neighborhoods with steep streets (like Siloé and Ladera). Wear closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and a light jacket for the evening.
• Respect community spaces: Don't enter the workshop houses without asking. Greet people, introduce yourself, and ask if you can take photos. People are friendly, but trust is earned.
• Don't miss the "viche": It is a cane distillate from the Pacific, smoother than aguardiente but with more character. It is sold in plastic bottles during San Pacho. Drink in moderation: it packs a punch.
• Check exact dates: Events like the Gathering of Cooks and the Marimba Festival do not have fixed dates year to year. Before traveling, check the Cali Secretary of Culture website or call 602 885 8855.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Marimba Music Festival in Cali?

It is generally held between August and September each year. The exact date varies, but it usually lasts three days. As of June 2026, the most recent edition was in September 2025. It is recommended to check the cultural agenda on the Cali Mayor's Office website or call the Teatro Municipal (602 886 1234). Entry is free at the Obrero Plazoleta and has a modest cost at the Teatro Municipal.

Can I participate in the cooking workshops if I don't speak Spanish?

Yes, but with limitations. The grandmothers and local masters speak Spanish, and some do not speak English. However, cooking is a universal language. If you speak English, look for workshops organized by the Fundación Cultural La Marimba, which sometimes have volunteer interpreters. Bring a translator on your phone and smile: people are patient and will guide you with gestures and laughter.

Is it safe to go to neighborhoods like Siloé or Potrero Grande?

Yes, if you go with respect and at appropriate times. Siloé and Potrero Grande are working-class neighborhoods with histories of violence, but the events and workshops are organized by the community and are safe. Go in a group, preferably during daylight hours (9am to 5pm). If you arrive at night, use Uber or a taxi and do not walk alone. Locals will tell you which streets to avoid. In general, people are hospitable and grateful that you are interested in their culture.