Valencia Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela)

Valencia has two main annual events that are definitely worth checking out if you are here in either late March or early November. Respectively, the Semana de Valencia and the Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Senora del Sorocco are both festivals that cross over between religion and cultural celebration.

Other events like the prestigious Salon Arturo Michelena visual arts show happens every year in October, and there are always small local happenings to make sure there are things to do while you are visiting. There are also annual festivals, agricultural fairs, carnival processions, bullfights and religious feasts to enjoy, where local patron saints are often honoured and remembered.

Valencia Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• New Year's Day - January 1st, Valencia puts on a show for the new year that is a pretty decent display. You can expect a few civic events in places like the Plaza Bolivar and a fireworks show at midnight
• Day of Epiphany (Dia de Reyes) - January 6th, this important family holiday brings everyone together in the city. Children are the focus of the attention, as they receive gifts from their parents and relatives, but in general this is a very pleasant time to be mingling with the locals

February

• Virgen de la Candelaria - February 2nd, the cathedral is the place to be to witness this popular Latin American religious festival. A procession filled with colourful costumes, music, dancing and even a bit of drinking is the main attraction
• Carnival (Carnaval) - late February / early March, the Monday and Tuesday that come before Ash Wednesday mark the beginning of the biggest party of the year in Valencia. The city puts on some fun street parades with elaborate costumes, which always draw the crowds, while various other carnival-related activities also take place at this time of the year, such as concerts, dances and live entertainment in public places like the parks and plazas
• Venezuela Off-Road and Adventure Festival - late February, this popular off-roading race and party is one of the highlights of the year in Valencia. If you have an interest in four-wheel driving, buggies, motocross or any other kind of motorised off-road driving, this should be an enjoyable week for you

March

• Saint Joseph's Day - March 19th, a national Venezuelan holiday known locally as the Dia de San José
• Holy Week / Semana Santa - late March / early April, this is Venezuela's biggest religious event and Valencia is a pretty good place to experience the related festivities. Easter (Pascua) processions and interesting church events are held at the cathedral and other churches around the city
• Semana de Valencia - late March / early April, this huge cultural event has a full agenda of fun and entertaining attractions. Bull fights, parades, music concerts, dancing and an agriculture fair are just some of the things on offer in the city's main annual celebration

April

• Declaration of Independence (Declaracion de Independencia) - April 19th, a national holiday commemorating this day in 1810, when Venezuela officially started its long struggle for independence

May

• Labour Day - May 1st, Labour Day is very important in Venezuela's present Socialist society. Being a national holiday you can expect bigger than usual crowds at the city's tourist attractions and neighbouring resort towns along the coast
• Diablos Danzantes - May 15th, if you can take a trip from Valencia to the small town of Francisco de Yare on this day, it will be worth it. This fascinating festival features dancers in colourful devil costumes, celebrating a mix of cultural tradition and religious influences. This one is a photographer's dream

June

• Feast of John the Baptist - June 24th, amongst Venezuela's more fascinating feast festivals centres around John the Baptist. This is a strange mix of hedonism and religious fervour, with one of the most vibrant and moving scenes of the year. You will need to check out the local churches to see which one is hosting this popular cultural event

July

• Independence Day - July 5th, the country remembers gaining its independence from Spain. This national holiday always involves a host of flag waving, parties in the plazas and other fun activities for all to enjoy
• Simon Bolivar's Birthday - July 24th, modern Venezuela's founding father gets his own national holiday, and why not?! This is another great excuse to celebrate the existence of Venezuela, take a day off of work and get out and enjoy yourself. You can be sure that nearly everyone else in Valencia will be

August

• Flag Day (Dia de la Bandera) - August 3rd, this national holiday honours the date that Francisco de Miranda arrived in Venezuela in 1806 and stepped off his boat, onto the shores of South America

September

• Fiesta de la Virgen de Coromoto - September 8th, if you are a fan of religious festivals, you will notice that Venezuela has more than a handful of days dedicated to various Virgins. They are serious events, and most towns in the country have a Virgin of their own. Head to the small hamlet of Coromoto and witness it on a humble scale

October

• Day of Indigenous Resistance (Dia de la Resistencia Indigena) - October 12th, Christopher Columbus gets his very own day of honour in Venezuela, although the title of the holiday should raise a few eyebrows. It is a national holiday, but there is actually little celebration of Columbus's discovery of the New World in Valencia
• Salon Arturo Michelana - October, November and December, this prestigious event takes place annually in the Ateneo de Valencia over several months. First held in 1943, this is the oldest visual arts show in the country, presenting a range of artistic styles and forms like performance, painting, sculpture and video works

November

• All Saint's Day - November 1st, also referred to as the Day of the Dead (Dia de Todos los Santos)
• Bullfighting Festival of Valencia - early to mid-November, with the second-largest bullfighting ring in Latin America, the city has understandably become a major centre for this historic sport. Every fall the city holds a popular event to celebrate the role of bullfighting in its culture, with a packed schedule of activities
• Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Senora del Socorro - mid November, this religious feast honours the city's patron saint. During the festival a crowned Virgin statue is removed from its place in the cathedral and paraded around the city in a solemn procession. This is the city's premier religious event

December

• Christmas Day - December 25th, the people of Valencia celebrate Christmas (Navidad) with as much verve as you can hope for in Latin America. Important public places like the Bolivar Plaza and the Capitolio are lit up at night and have a little extra festivity in the air, despite the balmy weather