Live Fiestas Patrias in Chile and celebrate just like any other Chilean
By: Hernan Claro - 19 August, 2024
From September 18th onwards, celebrations and fondas (temporary entertainment establishments) will be carried out all over Chile to honor the 2024 Fiestas Patrias. This year, the Chilean Independence holidays will last five consecutive days (considering the weekend).
Get ready to enjoy fondas, ramadas (rustic entertainment establishments), family games, parties, and a jolly ambience that will resonate with your soul and give you stories to tell for the rest of your life.
Would you like to have this experience? We will tell you everything you need to know to celebrate just like any other Chilean person.
Cover photo: Diego Fontecilla – Fich
When do Chileans celebrate Fiestas Patrias?
Fiestas Patrias are celebrated on September 18th and 19th. The 20th is only considered a holiday when it falls on a Friday, which is the case in 2024. So, there are five consecutive days to celebrate!
What is celebrated during Fiestas Patrias in Chile?
Fiestas Patrias are to commemorate the Primera Junta de Gobierno (First Governing Board) in 1810, a key step in the independence process in our country.
Despite the fact that the independence of Chile was declared on February 12th, 1818, Chileans celebrate Fiestas Patrias on a different date for symbolic reasons, which makes us stand out from the rest of the world.
Where are Fiestas Patrias celebrated in Chile?
You can celebrate all over the country! During this period, fondas and ramadas are installed all across Chile. You will find local cuisine, live music, traditional games, parties, and activities to have a great time.
Most of the fondas are found in Santiago. Fonda del Parque O’Higgins is the most famous one, and one of the oldest ones in the country, although there are many other important ones such as Fonda del Parque Padre Hurtado, from the district of La Reina.
Outside the capital city, one of the most important events is the Fiesta de la Pampilla in Coquimbo, a party that starts on September 16th and lasts the entire week. There is a reason it is considered the Biggest Party in Chile.
What do people do during Fiestas Patrias in Chile?
Dance cueca
Cueca is the Chilean national dance, with elegant and passionate moves that imitate the courting between a rooster and a hen. It is the soul of Fiestas Patrias, and is the reason why a lot of people set up improvised dance floors, accompanied by the sound of guitars, tambourines, and vocals.
Would you like to know more about Cueca? Listen to “La Consentida”, “Chicha de Curacaví”, and “el Guatón Loyola”, three of the most famous pieces of this genre.
Photo: @tu.cuerpo.mi.foto
Traditional games
Juegos criollos (traditional games in Chile) represent the life in the countryside. The most famous ones are emboque, rayuela, greasy pole, and sack race, with fairly simple rules that ensure a ton of laughs.
And thanks to the start of spring, many people start to fly the first kites during Fiestas Patrias, or “volantines”, as they are known in Chile.
Photo: Shutterstock
Food and drinks
Get ready to enjoy the best traditional cuisine. In Fiestas Patrias, the star dishes are: juicy empanadas containing meat, olives, and egg; anticuchos sizzling on the grill, and finger-licking good, crunchy sopaipillas.
All of this is accompanied by chicha dulce that will have you toasting life, a refreshing beer, or a fine red wine originated from our valleys, where you will find the best vineyards in the world.
You can also enjoy “terremotos”. And no, we are not referring to earthquakes, but a cocktail made up of pipeño wine, a generous scoop of pineapple ice cream, and a tinge of fernet or grenadine. Be wary, however, because it does honor its name, and after a glass or two, you will feel the floor quaking under your feet.
Photo: Juan Pablo Turé – Fich
