La Tirana Festival: when, where and why to go

La Tirana Festival is a religious celebration that, year after year, takes place in the town of La Tirana, located in the commune of Pozo al Monte (Tarapacá region). This town, of no more than 560 inhabitants, receives more than 250,000 people during the week in which the festivity that honors the Virgin of Carmen takes place, becoming the most popular religious festival not only in the north, but also in the whole country.

When is the celebration of La Tirana?
The town of La Tirana -located in the middle of the Pampa del Tamarugal, about 80 kilometers from Iquique- begins to prepare for the celebration several months before the thousands of pilgrims arrive here both to thank and venerate the Virgin and to witness the various cultural manifestations. This anticipation is related to the making of the striking costumes that dress the dancers of La Tirana. We are talking about highly detailed clothing, which adorns those who -for hours- will dance to the rhythm of various dances, such as the popular diabladas or the caporales.

So, when is the festival of La Tirana celebrated? If you do not want to miss any milestone of the biggest festival in Chile, take note of the schedule of activities: July 10. This is the actual start of the La Tirana Iquique festival.

It should be noted that this is the second year that the professionals of our institution have the opportunity to improve their skills thanks to a strategic alliance with the University of Chile and the scholarship that Coanil Foundation grants to its collaborators.

The festival of La Tirana, being the largest religious festival in the country, is a spectacle that all Chileans -and foreign tourists- should witness. A celebration of faith, dance and songs in honor of the Virgen del Carmen that takes practically a whole week. Do you dare to be part of this event?

From Iquique, you can rent a car to move with more tranquility, or take a tour to go to Pozo al Monte and La Tirana. It is approximately 55 km. from the city to the town.
From Santiago, the most convenient way is to take a plane to Diego Aracena Airport – located about 45 km. south of Iquique (approximately 25 minutes by car) – and then continue to Pozo al Monte.