Peru Events in 2013

For all the latest 2016 events, go to the Peru festivals and events calendar for 2016.

Below you’ll find month-by-month listings of traditional festivals and events in Peru during 2013, as well as concerts (look for the music symbol, all concerts in Lima unless otherwise noted) and other random happenings. Click on any month below to head straight to it, or scroll down at your leisure…

January	February	March	April	May	June
July	August	September	October	November	December

Quick Tip: If traveling to or from Lima Airport, it is strongly recommended to use the luxury Airport Express Lima bus to get to or from your hotel. Safer and cheaper than a taxi with no baggage limit as well as Free WiFi and USB chargers onboard, it is ideal for travelers.

You can help improve this list: I’ll do my best to keep this “calendar” up-to-date, but if you spot an error (some of the dates are hard to confirm) or an omission (of a major event — “Maria’s quinceañera” does not apply), feel free to leave a comment at the end of the list (or send me an email).

For a quick list of national holidays, see Peru Events — National Holidays.

Peru in January

New Year’s Day — Jan 1, National Holiday

Niño Callaocarpino y el Niño Jacobo Illanes — Jan 1 (central day), Huancavelica

Festival de los Negritos — Dec and/or Jan, Huánuco:

Adoración de Reyes Magos — Jan 6, nationwide

Foundation of Iquitos — Jan 5: Parties.

John Digweed — Jan 11, La Huaka Beach Club at km 97.5 of the Panamericana Sur.

Fiesta del Niño Dulce Nombre de Jesús — second week of January (movable), Huancavelica

Foundation of Lima — Jan 18

Chiaraje — Jan 20, Canas Province of the Cusco Region

Marinera Festival — Jan 20 to 30, Trujillo

Destruction — Jan 22, Discoteca Céntrica (C.C. Real Plaza)

Peru in February

Carnival — throughout Feb

Summer of Dub 2013 — Feb 1, Punta Hermosa

Acustirock — Feb 2, Estadio San Marcos (North Stand)

Luchas de Toqto — Feb 2, Canas and Chumbivilcas Provinces of Cusco

Pisco Sour Day — first Saturday of Feb

Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria — first half of Feb, Puno Region

Valentine’s Day — Feb 14, Nationwide

Jamiroquai — Feb 20, Estadio Nacional

Festival del Verano Negro — last week of Feb, Chincha Province, Ica

Alejandro Sanz — Feb 26, Estadio Nacional

Andrew Bird — Feb 27, Toro Bar de Barranco: American singer-songwriter.

Peru in March

Reggae Fest — March 2, Explanada de Punta Hermosa

Anniversary of the Foundation of Trujillo — March 5

Festival de los 7 Mares — March 9 to 10 (venue to be confirmed)

Ica Wine Festival — first two weeks of March

Fiesta de San José — March 18 to 20 (could change), Las Delicias District of Trujillo

Surco Wine Harvest Festival — dates vary, Surco District of Lima

Cruces de Porcón — March 24 (Palm Sunday), Porcón Valley, Cajamarca Region

Semana Santa — March 24, Nationwide

Jueves Santo — March 28, National Holiday: Maundy Thursday

Viernes Santo — March 29, National Holiday: Good Friday

Easter Day — March 31

Peru in April

El Señor de los Temblores — April 1 (Easter Monday), Cusco

The Killers — April 4, Estadio Nacional: One of the biggest gigs so far confirmed for 2013.

Keane — April 5, Parque de la Exposición

National Peruvian Paso Horse Contest — April 15 to 22-ish (to be confirmed), Mamacona, Lima

Anniversary of the District of Amantani — April 9, Amantani District of Puno

Anniversary of Chiclayo — April 18

Anniversary of the Constitutional Province of Callao — April 22, Callao

Anniversary of Ayacucho — April 25

El Señor de la Justicia — April 25, Ferreñafe, Lambayeque Region (not far from Chiclayo)

Anniversary of Jauja — April 25, Jauja, Junín Region

Peru in May

Virgin de Chapi — May 1, Arequipa

Dia de los Trabajadores — May 1, National Holiday

Fiesta de las Cruces — May 3 (dates vary), typically in highland regions

Fiesta de Alasitas — May 3, Puno

Señor de Muruhuay — May 3 (normally the central day, may vary), Tarma, Junín Region

Anniversary of Cotahuasi — May 4, Cotahuasi District of La Unión, Arequipa Region

The Vaccines — May 14, C.C. Scencia de La Molina: British indie rock.

Steel Pulse — May 16, C.C. Scencia de La Molina: British roots reggae.

Yes — May 16, Parque de la Exposición amphitheater: What is this, another English invasion? Here’s some progressive rock from the UK.

Festival Vivo x el Rock — May 25, C.C. Plaza Norte: Two stages packed with bands. Not all at the same time, obviously.

Señor de Torrechayoc — sometime in May, Urubamba, Cusco Region

Homage to the Defenders of Alianza Field — May 26, Tacna

Qoyllority — last week of May, Ocongate District, Cusco

Corpus Christi — May 30, Nationwide

Peru in June

Chachapoyas Tourist Week — early June (dates vary)

Lagwagon — June 5, Toro Retrobar: American punk band from the near-legendary Fat Wreck Chords label.

Anniversary of Ica — June 17

Sondor Raymi — June 18 and 19, Andahuaylas, Apurímac Region

Festival Folklórico de Raqchi — third Sunday of June, Canchis Province, Cusco Region

Moyobamba Tourist Week — second half of June (can vary), Moyobamba, San Martin Region.

Noche de San Juan — June 23 and 24, Calana, Pachi and Pocollay Districts, Tacna

Chaccu de Vicuñas — June 24, Pampa Galeras National Reserve, Ayacucho

Inti Raymi — June 24, Cusco

San Juan Festival — June 24, jungle regions of Peru

Cannibal Corpse — June 27, Discoteca Mangos (Av. Arequipa 1530, Lince): Well here’s a refreshing change from all that Peruvian culture… Cannibal Corpse, corrupting the youth of today. Maybe.

Selvámonos Festival — June 28 and 29 (central days), Oxapampa, Pasco Region: One of the biggest and brightest festivals outside of Lima, Selvámonos returns for another year.

National Ceviche Day — June 28, Nationwide

Día de San Pedro y San Pablo — June 29, Nationwide

Rock en el Parque — June 29, Explanada del Parque de la Exposición: Lima’s most important punk rock festival, with 22 bands taking to the stage.

Festival of Indigenous Dance — sometime in June (normally), Atalaya, Ucayali Region

Parade in Tarapoto

Peru in July

Tarapoto Tourist Week — July 8 to 19 (dates might change), Tarapoto, San Martin Region.

Morrissey — [Canceled — supposedly due to random food poisoning] July 9 and 10, Jockey Club del Perú: Yep, two dates confirmed, but get those tickets as soon as possible because both nights will sell out fast.

Anniversary of Puerto Maldonado — July 10

Big Noize — July 11, C.C. Scencia de La Molina: If you like hard rock and you don’t mind cheesy band names, check out this almost-supergroup featuring a bunch of long-haired dudes from bands like Black Sabbath, DIO and Quiet Riot.

Virgen del Carmen Festival — July 15 and 16, various regions

Anniversary of the Province of Huaraz — July 25

Festival de Apóstol Santiago — July 24 and 25, celebrated in various regions, but primarily a highland event

Anniversary of the Arrival of Austro-German Settlers in Oxapampa — July 24 to 31, Oxapampa Province, Pasco Region

Fiestas de Quillabamba — July 25 to 29, Province of La Convención, Cusco Region

Fiesta del Sol — July 27, La Unión, Huánuco Region

Peruvian Independence Day — July 28, national holiday

Fiesta del Señor de las Ánimas and Yawar Fiesta– July 28 to August 3, Apurimac Region

Peru in August

Día de la Pachamama — August 1, Andean regions

Santísima Cruz de Chalpón — first week of August, Motupe, Lambayeque Region

Nuestra Señora de las Nieves — August 5, central and southern Andes

Anniversary of Arequipa — August 15

Virgen de la Asunción — August 15

Anniversary of Huánuco — August 15

Anniversary of Callao — August 20, Callao (part of the larger Lima Metropolitan Area)

Yaku Raymi — August 20 to 26, Carmen Salcedo District of Andamarca, Ayacucho Region

Corrosion of Conformity — August 27, Discoteca Céntrica (C.C. Real Plaza)

Reincorporation of Tacna into Peru — August 28, Tacna

Oxapampa Tourist Week — August 25 to 31, Oxapampa, Pasco

Saint Rose of Lima Day — August 30, National Holiday

Peru in September

Festival Reyna del Cañaveral — dates vary, Apurimac

Festival Ecoturístico de Comunidades Rurales y Turistas — first weekend of Sept, Pasco

The Offspring — Sept 5, Parque de la Exposición: Dexter Holland, Greg K., Noodles and Pete Parada bring Californian punk rock to Lima in a gig that should be big, bold and bursting with energy.

Libido — Sept 6, Sargento Pimienta (Bolognesi 757 in Barranco): Going strong since 1996, Libido is one of Peru’s most established rock bands.

Lima Vive Rock — Sept 7, Parque de la Exposición: 12 hours of free Peruvian rock.

Fiesta Patronal Virgen de la Natividad — Sept 8, San Martin Region

Virgen de Cocharcas — Sept 8, mainly highland regions

Fiesta Patronal del Señor de Gualamita — Sept 10 to 16 (may vary), Luya Province of the Amazonas Region

Festividad del Señor de Locumba — Sept 14, Tacna

Prince Royce — Sept 14, C.C. Claro de Plaza San Miguel: Apparently one of the most popular Latin music artists in the world. Never heard of him myself.

Señor Cautivo de Monsefú — Sept 14 (main day), Monsefú, Lambayeque Region

Señor de Huanca — Sept 14, Cusco

The B-52s — Sept 28, venue TBA: “Love Shack baby! Love Shack, that’s where it’s at!” Oh yes, it’s the ebullient B-52s.

Festival Internacional de la Primavera — end of Sept, Trujillo, La Libertad Region

Battle of Angamos

Peru in October

Alice in Chains — Oct 2, Parque de la Exposición: Grungy legends from the Seattle scene.

Promised Land of Pozuzo Festival — Oct 4 to 8 (may vary), Pozuzo, Oxapampa Province, Pasco Region

Peter Hook & The Light — Oct 7, Discoteca Mangus (Av. Arequipa 1530, Lince): The ex New Order and Joy Division bassist comes to Peru.

Battle of Angamos — Oct 8, National Holiday

Piura Jubilee Week — first two weeks of October (variable)

Señor Cautivo de Ayabaca — Oct 13, Ayabaca, Piura Region

Anniversary of Tingo Maria — Oct 15

Black Sabbath — [Canceled — sounds like someone really messed this one up] Oct 16, Estadio Monumental: Black Sabbath supported by Megadeth, no less! Oh my...

Molotov — Oct 18, C.C. Embarcadero 41 (Barranco): Grammy Award-winning rock/rap/metal/hip hop from Mexico.

El Señor de los Milagros — second half of October, Lima

Señor de Luren — third Monday in October, Ica

Fiesta Patronal de Santa Úrsula — Oct 21 to 24 (dates may vary), Viraco, Castilla Province of Arequipa Region

Blur — Oct 29, Estadio San Marcos: Damon Albarn and co. will be bringing their London charm to Lima when Blur rolls into town.

Día de la Canción Criolla — Oct 31

Halloween — Oct 31

FestiSabores — Oct 31 to Nov 3, Yanahuara (main square), Arequipa

Peru in November

FestiSabores — Oct 31 to Nov 3, Yanahuara (main square), Arequipa

Día de Todos los Santos — Nov 1, National Holiday

Día de los Difuntos — Nov 2, Nationwide

Anniversary of Puno — Nov 4

Ringo Starr — November 11, Jockey Club del Perú: Yep, still going.

Ica Tourist Week — Nov 12 to 20 (variable)

Creamfields Peru — Nov 16, Fundo Mamacona, Lima: The British dance music festival has gone truly global. The Peruvian edition is one of many international incarnations.

Rafa Nadal vs David Ferrer — Nov 17, Jockey Club del Perú, Santiago de Surco, Lima

Moquegua Tourist Week — Nov 20 to 25 (variable).

Pasco Tourist Week — Nov 20 to 29 (variable)

Kings of Chaos — Nov 23, venue TBC: Supergroups are normally dubious at best, but Guns N’ Roses will probably jump at the chance to see Slash, Matt Sorum, Duff McKagan and Gilby Clarke strutting their stuff in Lima.

Feria de San Clemente — Nov 23, San Clemente, Piura

Peru in December

Incubus — Dec 5, Parque de la Exposición

Immaculate Conception — Dec 8, National Holiday

Tribute to American Liberty — Dec 9, Ayacucho

Bret Michaels — December 10, Explanada del Estadio Monumental: I’m not sure how much street cred old Bret has left, but I’m sure he’ll be well received in Lima.