Petronio Álvarez Festival: Katanga + Ciudadela

We don't want you to just show up at the Petronio to dance. We want you to understand why people dance.

That's why this experience starts before the party: at the Pacific Museum of Fundación Katanga, with master luthier Addo Obed Possú, the man who has spent 30 years building drums and marimbas with his own hands and teaches, free of charge, more than 100 children and young people from Bajo Calima and Bajo Dagua in Buenaventura. Over 2 hours you'll tour the museum and learn to play the instruments that bring Pacific music to life: marimba de chonta, cununo, guasá and bombo.

From there, straight to the Ciudadela Petronio Álvarez — the most important festival of the Colombian Pacific — accompanied all day by a local host who knows every corner, every dish and every stage. The Petronio Álvarez Festival takes place every August in Cali — the 2027 edition date is not confirmed yet, but you can already reserve your spot and we'll let you know as soon as it's announced.

Want to stay longer after 6? No problem, that part is free for you to enjoy on your own.

How the day is organized: we start at Fundación Katanga, in the Meléndez neighborhood, with the 2 hours of museum and instrument workshop; from there we head to the Ciudadela by transport, and your local host stays with you from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The workshop is built for absolute beginners — the master teaches from scratch, the same way he teaches the kids from Buenaventura, so you don't need any musical background at all. Lunch is deliberately left open: the food is one of the best reasons to be there, and we'd rather you choose than lock you into a set plate.

What to bring: closed, comfortable shoes, because you'll be standing and walking most of the day. Light clothing, sunscreen and water — Cali is warm all year round. And cash as well as a card: the food, viche and craft stands don't always take cards, and that money goes straight into the hands of the cooks, producers and artisans of the Pacific.

Impact: every spot directly supports the social work of Fundación Katanga and a local Cali host. This isn't just an experience — it's a way of giving something back to the Pacific region that gives us so much.

Disclaimer: This is a local-host-accompanied experience. The host accompanies you, guides you and connects you with the place — the experience inside the Ciudadela is free and at your own pace.

This experience is confirmed with a minimum of 10 travelers. If we don't complete the group before the deadline, we'll refund 100% of your payment or offer you a free reschedule.