The Cali Fair

• Place: Cali, Valle del Cauca
• Region: Pacific
• Date: December 25 – 30, every year
• Duration: 6 days.

The Cali Fair

Every year, immediately after Christmas, between December 25 and 30, the city of Cali fills up with tourists from all over the country and abroad who come to participate in this great fair, famous for its horse riding parades, bullfights, the best salsa orchestras, multitudinous concerts, dances, and delicious gastronomy.

The fair starts out on the streets with a parade of the best Paso Fino horses in the country. It continues with a multitude of popular festivals and parties in various sections of the city.

The Cali Fair is famous for its horseback rides, bullfights, some of the best salsa orchestras, packed concerts, dances, and delicious food.

Cali also stands out as the world salsa capital, with the best national and international orchestras vibrating throughout the city and bringing together different kinds of publics in closed shows with performances by phenomenal prize-winning dancers and in multitudinous concerts staged by the best interpreters of this musical genre.

Each year thousands of caleños and foreigners allow themselves to be driven by gaiety, music, and rumba during the six days of the fair. And the best bullfighters from Spain and South America display their art in the Cañaveralejo bull ring during emotion-filled afternoons.

History of the Fair

The first fair took place in 1957 under the name of Feria de la Caña de Azúcar (sugar cane fair) and began solely as a bull fighting fair. Historians tell us that the first celebration lasted a whole month. At first, festivities took place in hotel salons and clubs, and the music was Antillean.

Cali, capital of festiveness,
Capital of salsa,
For delighting, entertaining,
Travelers from Colombia and the world,
Making them laugh, dance, and sing.
Cali, capital of festiveness.

The tascas of Cali are small, temporary and very pleasant restaurants built of wood and with outdoor seating.

Soon, other attractions were added to the fair. Horse riding parades, shows by the best national and international salsa orchestras, parades of antique and classic cars, gastronomic sampling in street-sidetascas, and beauty pageants made their way into the fair.

The Tascas: Between Gourmet and Rumba

The tascas are small, picturesque, temporary restaurants built from wood and located outdoors. Over the course of the years, they have moved from one place to another: from the banks of the Cali River, to the Parque del Amor, and to several other locations.

They offer a wide range of Colombian and international food, and operate as a sort of gastronomical fair that offers attendees the best tastes of the world.

For additional information, please go to the Feria de Cali website.