11 February, 2025
Carnival in Cusco is one of Peru’s most iconic and eagerly awaited festivals. The city comes alive with music, dance, and ancestral traditions that showcase the region’s rich cultural heritage. While the exact dates vary each year according to the liturgical calendar, in 2025, the main celebrations will take place in March.
These festivities take place before Carnival and showcase the creativity and humor of the people of Cusco.
Compadres’ Day: Women create rag dolls that humorously represent the men in the community. These dolls, known as compadres, are dressed in men’s clothing and hung from poles, balconies, and plazas, often accompanied by witty signs exaggerating their characteristics in a playful way. The celebration continues with gatherings where women honor men with music, dancing, and traditional food in an atmosphere of camaraderie and fun.
Comadres’ Day: A week later, the men return the joke by making rag dolls dressed in women’s clothing. These comadres are displayed throughout the city with satirical messages highlighting the qualities or quirks of the women in the community, always within a respectful and humorous framework. On this occasion, the men organize celebrations for the women, with lively festivities, traditional music, and the tasting of typical Peruvian and Cusqueñan dishes.
This playful exchange symbolizes harmony between men and women, as well as the importance of sharing moments of joy and unity before the grand carnival begins.
On Sunday, March 9, 2025, Cusco’s Plaza de Armas becomes the heart of the celebration. Public and private institutions come together to showcase an impressive cultural display, with dance troupes and performers filling the streets with colorful costumes and choreographies that reflect the region’s cultural richness. The infectious rhythms of Andean music, huaynos, and melodies performed by local bands encourage both locals and visitors to join in the festivities.
It is customary for people of all ages to participate in playful battles with water, talcum powder, and confetti—a practice symbolizing purification and renewal. Additionally, various groups compete in the streets, presenting their best performances of traditional dances and costumes.
One of the most emblematic moments is the yunza or cortamonte, where a tree decorated with gifts is placed at the center of the festivities. Participants dance in circles around it to festive music, taking turns striking the tree with an axe. As the anticipation builds, the final blow brings the tree down, and the crowd rushes to collect the gifts—a tradition symbolizing joy and prosperity for the coming year.
On Sunday, March 16, 2025, the Kacharpari marks the grand finale of the Carnival celebrations. Once again, the streets of Cusco come alive with music, dance, and traditional activities. One of the most anticipated moments is the repetition of the yunza, where participants dance and take turns cutting down a decorated tree filled with gifts. The Kacharpari is a farewell filled with joy and optimism, closing one of the most important festivities of the year.
During Carnival in Cusco, a gastronomic festival takes place, offering some of the region’s most representative dishes. One of the most awaited delicacies is puchero or t’impu, a traditional stew made with beef and lamb, combined with Andean vegetables like potatoes, cabbage, and chickpeas, along with fruits such as peaches and pears. This flavorful dish is considered a symbol of abundance and prosperity. Traditional beverages such as frutillada or chicha de jora, a fermented corn drink, perfectly complement these festive meals.
Cusco’s Carnival is a celebration that transcends time, blending ancestral traditions with the modern vibrancy of the city.
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