Feria de la Candelaria: The religious event that transforms Cartagena into a street theater stage and

Origins

The Feria de la Candelaria was not born in a tourism office or a municipal planning board. It was born in the dirt patios of Getsemaní, in wood-fired kitchens, and in the hands of women who prayed while peeling plantains. It was the 17th century when a group of devotees, mostly enslaved and free people of African descent, began to worship the Virgen de la Candelaria in a small chapel in the neighborhood. For them, the virgin was not just a religious figure imposed by the Spanish: she was a protector who understood their sorrows, their rhythms, and their food.

The most told legend among the elders of Getsemaní says that the image of the Virgin appeared floating on the waters of the Bay of Cartagena, right in front of the church that now bears her name. Fishermen were the first to see her, and since then they have celebrated her every February 2nd. What started as a simple mass transformed over the years: drums joined the prayers, dances slipped into the recitations, and pots of rice with coconut began to smoke on the corners.

During the colonial period, the festival was one of the few occasions when the Afro-descendant population could gather without raising suspicion. Under the guise of a religious celebration, networks of solidarity were woven, recipes were exchanged, and songs and choreographies were preserved that today are living heritage of the city. The Feria de la Candelaria is, in essence, an act of cultural resistance that managed to survive centuries of repression.

A curious fact that few know: during the Inquisition era, the drums of la Candelaria were banned on several occasions because ecclesiastical authorities considered they "incited lust and disorder." The faithful responded by hiding the drums in houses and playing them with quiet hands, barely a whisper of leather against wood. That cunning is still alive today: when you see a group of mapalé dancers in the middle of the procession, you are witnessing the echo of a resistance that never died out.

Timeline or historical milestones

To understand how the Feria de la Candelaria went from a neighborhood gathering to an event that paralyzes Cartagena every February, it is worth reviewing its key moments:

• Approximately 1640: The first hermitage dedicated to the Virgen de la Candelaria is built in Getsemaní. Parish records mention "festivities with dances of blacks and drums" in the surroundings.
• 1777: A fire destroys part of the neighborhood, including the original hermitage. The community rebuilds the temple with its own resources, and the festival strengthens as a symbol of unity.
• 1821: After independence, the celebration becomes more public. Troupes of "negros curros" (former freed slaves) who dance with bells on their ankles are incorporated.
• 1920: The fair acquires a formal gastronomic component. The "mamás viejas" (old mothers) of Getsemaní set up stoves on the street to sell corn bollos, fish rice with coconut, and yam sweets.
• 1954: The Mayor's Office of Cartagena declares the Feria de la Candelaria an event of tourist and cultural interest. It begins to be promoted outside the neighborhood.
• 1985: The "Competition of Forgotten Typical Dishes" is created, an initiative to rescue recipes that were disappearing, such as "fish rice with coconut" and "corn bollos."
• 2005: UNESCO recognizes the cultural space of the Feria de la Candelaria as part of the intangible heritage of humanity, within the category of "knowledge systems and culinary practices."
• 2018: A traditional cooking workshop open to the public is incorporated, where tourists and locals learn to prepare typical dishes alongside the neighborhood's cooks.
• June 2026: The fair continues to expand, with activities lasting almost a full week and attracting more than 50,000 visitors, both local and foreign.

Key figures or events

The Feria de la Candelaria would not have the strength it has today without certain names and moments that marked its course. Here are the ones every visitor should know:

Doña Petrona de la Cruz (1890-1978)

Known in Getsemaní as "La Reina del Bollito" (The Queen of the Little Bollos), Doña Petrona was the first to sell corn bollos at the fair in an organized manner. Her stall on the corner of Calle de la Media Luna became legendary. It is said she never charged the neighborhood children, and that her recipe included a touch of anise that no one else has managed to replicate. Today, her grandchildren maintain the family stall during the fair.

The "Drum Miracle" (1967)

During the procession on February 2, 1967, a sudden storm threatened to cancel the event. The drummers, led by master Benigno "Beny" Torres, refused to stop and played in the rain for over three hours. People say that when they finished, the sun came out immediately. Since then, rain during the fair is considered a blessing, and the drums sound even stronger.

The forgotten dishes competition

This contest, which began in 1985 with just five participants, now brings together over forty cooks from the neighborhood. The prize is not money: it is the recognition of the community and the opportunity for their recipe to be included in the official fair cookbook. Dishes like "fish rice with coconut" (which is not the traditional coconut rice, but a drier and spicier preparation) and "corn bollos" (tender corn dough wrapped in bijao leaves) have returned to Cartagena's tables thanks to this contest.

The Pilgrim Virgin (2001)

In 2001, the image of the Virgen de la Candelaria was stolen from her church. The entire neighborhood mobilized, and after a week of searching, the image appeared in an abandoned house in the San Francisco neighborhood. Since then, every February 2nd, the virgin travels through the streets of Getsemaní in a procession that lasts over six hours, visiting the homes of the sick and elderly who cannot go out.

Current state

Today, the Feria de la Candelaria is much more than a religious procession. It is a street theater stage where the sacred and the profane, prayer and dance, mass and fried food mix. During the first week of February, Getsemaní transforms: the streets fill with white canopies, balconies are adorned with yellow and red flowers, and the smell of fried coconut mixes with the incense from the church.

The main event remains the procession on February 2nd, which leaves the Iglesia de la Candelaria (located on Calle de la Candelaria, facing Plaza de la Trinidad) at 8:00 a.m. and travels through the main streets of the neighborhood. Along the route, improvised altars are set up where neighbors offer flowers, candles, and, in some cases, plates of typical food. The drums never stop, and dance groups perform the mapalé, bullerengue, and cumbia on every corner.

• Competition of Forgotten Typical Dishes: Held on the Saturday before February 2nd, at Plaza de la Trinidad, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free, and attendees can taste the dishes for a symbolic cost (around $5,000 COP per portion, reference prices from June 2026).
• Traditional cooking workshop: Offered on the Sunday after the procession, at the Casa de la Cultura de Getsemaní (Calle de la Media Luna # 10-45). The workshop lasts three hours (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) and costs $30,000 COP per person. It includes ingredients and a printed recipe booklet. It is recommended to reserve at least a week in advance, as spots are limited to 30 people.
• Night of Drums: On February 1st, from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, Plaza de la Trinidad becomes an open-air dance floor. Local groups of tambora, gaita, and marimba take turns playing, and anyone can join the dance. There is no alcohol sale at the event, but neighbors sell panela water with lemon and natural juices.
• Afro-Colombian crafts exhibition: Throughout the week, on Calle de la Media Luna, artisan stalls are set up selling wooden masks, seed necklaces, natural fiber weavings, and drum replicas. Prices range from $10,000 COP to $150,000 COP.

The impact on Getsemaní has been remarkable. Twenty years ago, the neighborhood was considered dangerous and abandoned by the authorities. The fair, along with other community efforts, helped revitalize the area. Today, Getsemaní is one of the most visited neighborhoods in Cartagena, with boutique hotels, restaurants, and art galleries. However, the fair organizers have been careful to keep the event in the hands of the local community, preventing it from becoming a purely tourist spectacle. The cooks are the same ones who have been there from the beginning, the drummers are the grandchildren of those who played in the rain, and the procession remains, above all, an act of faith.

For tourists who want to experience the fair without being intrusive, the recommendation is simple: respect the space. Do not stand in front of the altars while people pray, do not interrupt the dances to take photos without permission, and above all, eat. Food is the gateway to the culture of Getsemaní. If someone offers you a corn bollo, accept it. That person is not selling anything: they are sharing a piece of their history.

Plan your trip to coincide with the Feria de la Candelaria and participate in the traditional cooking workshop offered during the event. There is no better way to understand Cartagena than by cooking with the hands that have kept this tradition alive for over three centuries.