Arequipa Set to Celebrate its 474th Anniversary with a Month’s Worth of Activities
Some 100,000 tourists are expected to visit Arequipa during its month-long celebration of the city’s 474th anniversary. As part of the events this year, 2 thousand locals will dance the Carnaval de Arequipa in an attempt to make it into the Guinness World Records Book. Festidanza, which attracts artists from diverse countries as far as the African continent, will last 5 days
The pinnacle event, the famed Friendship Parade (Corso de la Amistad) will have its route reduced to about 3 kilometers this year to prevent it from lasting more than eight hours. That’s still a lot of folk dancing! The parade also includes live marching bands and parade floats. About 5,000 local artists participate each Aug 15th.
Events have already begun, and tomorrow Miss Arequipa will be crowned. Here are our choices from the vast program, which has already begun and which we’ve cut off at August 20th although the events continue for a week more.
Program for Arequipa’s 474th Anniversay 2014
Friday, July 25th
10:00hs: Military Parade in honor of Peru’s Fiestas Patrias (Independence Days)
19:30hs: Election and Crowning of the Miss Arequipa 2014, at the Palacio Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
18:00-20:00hs: III Festi Vals Arequipa 2014 at Real Plaza
Saturday, July 26th
11:00hs: Inauguration of Touristic Totems in the Historical Center
15:00hs: III El Tuturutu Arequipeño Music Festival at Plaza Espíritu Santo, Also Selva Alegre District
10:00-21:00hs: IV Sabores de Arequipa Food Festival at the Palacio Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
Sunday, July 27th
10:00-21:00hs: IV Sabores de Arequipa Food Festival at the Palacio Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
17:00hs: La Rebelión de los Villanos Play at the Teatro Municipal
Monday, July 28th
10:00-21:00hs: IV Sabores de Arequipa Food Festival at the Palacio Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
Wednesday, July 30th
19:00hs: XII International Guitar Festival at the Teatro Municipal
Thursday, July 31st
19:00hs: XII International Guitar Festival at the Teatro Municipal
19:30hs: Arequepay Photo Exhibit at the Vinatea Reynoso Art Gallery (continues through Aug 16th)
Friday, Aug 1st
9:00hs-16:00 Arequipeñan Chicha Festival in the Plaza de Armas of Arequipa
11:00hs: Memorial Day for the heroes of Arequipa’s Revolutions at the General Cemetery
18:00hs: Fashion Show at Yanahuara Lookout
19:30hs: Gala Concert by Arequipa’s Symphonic Orchestra at the Templo de la Tercera Orden Franciscana
19:30hs: Despejando Temores Nocturnal Visit to the General Cemetery
Saturday, August 2nd
12:00hs: Final day of the III El Tuturutu 
Arequipeño Music Festival, in the Plaza de Armas of Arequipa
09:00hs-19:00hs: II Festialpaca 2014 at the Explanada Palacio Metropolitano Mario Vargas Llosa
Sunday, August 3rd
8:00hs-14:00hs: Regional Parade along the city’s central streets
19:00hs: Arequipeñan Landscape, Exhibit by Ana 
Cecilia Rondon at Yanahuara Lookout
Monday, August 4th
19:30hs: Inauguration of a Pictorial Exhibit sponsored by the Rotary Club in the Museo Casa del Moral
19:00s: Cantemos Bailemos Concert in the Teatro Municipal
Tuesday, August 5th
9:00hs: XIII Sillar Volcanic Stone and Forged Iron 
Artisanal Contest in the Plaza de Armas
Wednesday, August 6th
9:00hs: XIII Sillar Volcanic Stone and Forged Iron Artisanal Contest in the Plaza de Armas
19:00hs: IX International Charango Festival in the Cine Auditorio Municipalidad Provincial
19:30hs: De la Piedra al Muro Photography & Poetry Exhibition at the Casa de Melgar Art Gallery
Thursday, August 7th
18:00 Misti Night: Meeting with the Yaravis, Loncco Dances & Poems in the patio of the Casa del Corregidor
19:00hs: IX International Charango Festival in the Cine Auditorio Municipalidad Provincial
Friday, August 8th
11:00hs: XXIV International Meeting of the Marching Bands Parade along the central streets
19:00hs: XXIV International Meeting of the Marching Bands Gala Concert in the Municipal Theater
20:00hs: XXIV International Meeting of the 
Marching Bands Fantasy Night at Yanahuara Lookout
Friday, August 8th
19:00hs: Melgar, the Enamored Poet, recital by Nancy Loaysa Alatrista in the Cine Auditorio Municipal in the Plaza de Armas
19:30hs: Despejando Temores Nocturnal Visit to the General Cemetery
Sunday, August 10th
08:30hs: VI Chaku de Vicuña, Tambo de Cañahuas Ecotouristic Festival in the Sector Pampa Blanca, Tambo de Cañahuas Village, Km 104 along the Yura-Juliaca road
Monday, August 11th
18:00hs: Corporal Expression & Contemporary Dance at Yanahuara Lookout
Tuesday, August 12th
19:00hs: ‘For You, My Arequipa’ Arequipeñan Music
Recital in the Teatro Municipal
Wednesday, August 13th
09:00hs: Passage of the city flag along the central streets
13:00hs: Traditional Entrance of the Ccapo in the Plaza de Armas
19:00hs: Arequipeñan Loncca Poetry: Yaravís of Mariano 
Melgar in the Cine Auditorio Municipal in the Plaza de Armas
19:00hs: Symphonic Choral Concert for the Day of Arequipa in the Teatro Municipal
Thursday, August 14th
14:00hs: Traditional Entrance of the Ccapo from the Southern Cone (Sabancaya District) in the Plaza de Armas
15:00hs: Traditional Entrance of the Ccapo from the Cayma Distric in the Plaza de Armas
19:00hs: Our Song for Arequipa by the Sayari Llaqta
& Killary Musical Groups in the Teatro Municipal
19:30hs: Serenade for the City of Arequipa on Av. La Marina, in front of the Palacio Metropolitano Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
Friday, August 15th
09:00hs: Friendship Parade (Corso de Amistad) along 
the city’s main streets
Saturday, August 16th
15:30hs: XXXII Festidanza International Folkloric Dance Festival Inauguration at the Teatro Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
19:00hs: XXXII Festidanza International Folkloric Dance Festival, 1st Function at the Teatro Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
19:00hs: Mi Bolero Azul Play at the Teatro Municipal
Sunday, August 17th
10:00hs: XXXII Festidanza International Folkloric Dance Festival at the Club Internacional & Distrito de Mariano Melgar
Sunday, August 17th
13:00hs: Traditional Bullfights* of the Arequipa City Championship at the El Azufral Zamácola Field
*In Arequipa, bullfights are bull vs bull, with the winner remaining in the winner’s area, sumo-style
Monday, August 18th
10:00hs & 19:00hs: XXXII Festidanza International Folkloric Dance Festival at the Teatro Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
09:00hs-20:00hs: Mariano Melgar Veldivieso Pictorial Exhibit at the Vinatea Reynoso Art Gallery in the Plaza de Armas (continues through August 30th)
Tuesday, August 19th
10:00hs & 19:00hs: XXXII Festidanza International Folkloric Dance Festival at the Teatro Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa
18:00hs: Traditional Arequipeñan Dance Festival at the Teatro Municipal
Wednesday, August 20th
10:00hs & 19:00hs: XXXII Festidanza International Folkloric Dance Festival at the Teatro Metropolitano de Bellas Artes Mario Vargas Llosa