Why is that?

Well, at the end of July is the celebration of Peru’s Independence Day. July is a month in which all Peruvians feel proud of our food, our music, our tourist attractions and our customs. These are two days in which we commemorate the millenary culture and the enviable biodiversity that our country has. We remember that thanks to Don Jose de San Martin all our territory, from the coasts of the Pacific Ocean to our Amazon, is free.

Enjoy the video called “Blanquirrocola” by Marca Peru, which you can watch here.

Blanquirrocola Campaign

When is it celebrated?

July 28th: Independence Day

July 28th is the central day of the celebrations for Independence Day in Peru, due to the declaration of independence made by Don Jose de San Martin in 1821. “Peru is, from this moment on, free and independent by the general will of the people and by the justice of its cause that God defends. Long live the homeland! Long live freedom! Long live independence!”. On Saturday, July 28, 1821. Before more than 16,000 souls, Don José de San Martín proclaimed the independence of Peru with an emotional speech in the Plaza de Armas in Lima. After almost 300 years of subjugation by the Spanish Empire, Peru was finally a sovereign republic.

Jose de San Martin Drawing

July 29: Military Parade

The following day, the 29th, Brazil Avenue is dyed red and white with the Fiestas Patrias Military Parade. Thousands of people congregate in the surrounding area to see the parade of the members of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, with the Peruvian Army, the Navy and the Air Force, as well as the Red Cross and the General Fire Brigade, amidst the cheers and applause of the crowd.

Peruvian Military

Activities:

The 28th and 29th of July have been decreed a holiday by the government, so many citizens take advantage of this holiday to travel, rest, celebrate or go sightseeing. Also, obviously being a special date, many tourists travel to Peru on Fiestas Patrias.
.
Celebrations take place in all the cities of the country, even in remote towns. One thing you can expect to see is: The flagging of houses and buildings (you will see flags on houses and businesses), civic-military parades in the most important cities, fairs, concerts, dance shows.

Pisco Sour at Cusco

How does each city celebrate?

Here are a couple of examples

• Lima:

The main celebrations begin on the night of the 27th with serenades of folkloric and Creole music in various squares and parks. Early on the 28th, the traditional Te Deum Mass is offered by the Archbishop in the Cathedral of Lima, where the main personalities of Peruvian politics, among them the President, attend. Afterwards, Peruvians congregate in front of their televisions to listen to the Message to the Nation delivered by the President, in which he gives an account to the nation on the progress of his government and the future challenges of the country.

Independence Day at Lima

At dawn on the 28th, the te deum ceremony (a thanksgiving ceremony) is held in the Cathedral of Lima, attended by the President of the Republic, followed by the presidential message in the Congress of the Republic. On July 29th the most outstanding act is the Great Military Parade.

• Cusco

In the city of Cusco you can observe the flag of the houses, buildings and even important monuments, as central acts there are also school parades and parades with typical dances. In addition to being a tourist city, Cusco, presents a large influx of domestic and foreign tourists.

Independence Day at Cusco

• Puno

The different cities of the region of Puno program activities to share with inhabitants and authorities for the patriotic month. The most traditional activity takes place in the binational district of Desaguadero, where the authorities and the population exchanged flags between Peru and Bolivia at the international bridge.

Peruvian flag at Huascarán

• The Jungle

For ecample, in Moyobamba (San Martin region), city where the delicious Juane is eaten, the 28th of July is celebrated with an allegorical parade, characterized by the departure of the Shapingos, a group of people with masks and painted bodies, who express this art by spreading the jungle myth.

Taytamaki viewpoint- Tarapoto

In addition, all over the country there are military parades, masses, gastronomic fairs, sightseeing tours, museum tours and we can also see children dressed up with their cockades on their chests and typical costumes for school parties. Red and white floods the streets of the city.

What do we recommend you to do during your trip to Peru on Independence Day?

• Watch the military parade
• Visit the museums
• Taste typical food in the gastronomic fairs.
• Peruvian food and Pisco Sour

Join the dances and celebrations in any of the cities you visit.
If you come with children, visit one of the circuses that flood the city.
Go to the water park in Lima and enjoy the dancing water show for Independence Day.
Enjoy! (Remember anyone knows you)
 

Restaurant in Independence Day

There are not only museums of history and archeology, but also museums of art and even gastronomy. These museums have many activities planned for Fiestas Patrias, in addition to their tours.

Thank you very much for reading! As you can see, there are many programmed activities and places to visit on Fiestas Patrias that you can do on your trip to Peru. Many of these are open to the public so there is no excuse to enjoy them.

Independence Celebration in fair

We are sure this information will be very useful for your trip to Peru for Independence Day. If you have any doubts, questions or need more information to make up your mind about visiting our country, contact us!

Thank you for reading!

Please, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, click on the following icons:      
And If you liked the article, you are very welcome to share it on your social media.