CALI, COLOMBIA – The 30th edition of the Petronio Álvarez Festival kicked off yesterday in Cali with the opening parade, known as “Bundeando pa’ la Casa Grande.” Organised around music, dance and Afro-Colombian culture, the parade drew more than 1,600 participants from 23 Pacific communities.
Other groups that participated in the celebration included the famous group ‘Cali Viejo’ and the float ‘Indomitable, Warrior Woman,’ winner of the 2026 Blacks and Whites’ Carnival in Pasto.
Created by the traditional artist Oscar Dunar, the float is the result of years of creativity dating back to 2017. “From San Juan de Pasto I went to Africa in my mind,” Dunar said about the creation process, which is a tribute to women as representatives of strength and divinity.
Cultural relevance was one of the things the observers brought up. Merci Ruiz stated that it was amazing how much fun people can have with “the happiness and colours” at this festival. In contrast, Carolina Ordoñez Cedeño underlined the importance of appreciating Afro-Colombian culture.
It will end on 17 August at Unidad Deportiva Alberto Galindo and is expected to feature more than 3,500 artists, including famous bands such as Herencia de Timbiquí. The other attractions include the official 30th-anniversary anthem, to be written by Hugo Candelario, and the Global Afro-Diasporic Summit, designed to facilitate global conversations among Afro descendants.
The festival is named after Petronio Álvarez, the ‘King of Currulao’.
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