Colorful Carnaval in Cusco & the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Fall into the magic of the former imperial city of the Incas. This year, the central day of Carnaval in the towns of Cusco District will be Sunday, February 15th. It’s a time of colorful dances, parades, and competitions. Celebrations take place not just in Cusco city proper, but also in the surrounding Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Southern Valley, especially in the towns of Pisac, Calca, Coya, and Urubamba. (Last year, more than 5 thousand visited Coya on the main day of its carnaval. Dancers and musicians gathered from the country communities surrounding Cusco, Arequipa, Tacna, Puno and Apurímac.)
As part of the festivities, community 
members play with water, talcum powder, streamers, confetti, and foam. Unsuspecting travelers are often targeted and may find themselves suddenly soaked with water. (In fact, if you’re traveling through Peru and Bolivia during the dates of Carnaval, it would be wise to store your electrical devices in a plastic bag, and perhaps carry some spare, dry clothing to change into. Also, stock up on water balloons to retaliate against attackers!)
Even if you miss the first day of Carnaval, there’s a second chance- the octava, or remate (re-killing) will take place a week later on Sunday, February 22nd. On the octava, yunzas are often held in the different neighborhoods. Participants dance in a circle around a tree which has been planted and adorned with gifts. Taking turns with a machete, each tries to fell the tree so that the crowd can jostle for the gifts- those who succeed are generally charged with organizing the following year’s event. (In towns like Calca, the yunzas are segregated. There’s a yunza for married couples and a yunza for single people, solteros.)
Before the main days of Carnaval, there will 
be Compadres & Comadres Day. Compadres Day just took place on Thursday, February 5th, while Comadres Day will take place on Thursday, February 12th. Aside from showing signs of appreciation to your girlfriends or buddies, or playing pranks on them, the day is characterized by the fabrication of life-size rag dolls satirizing certain individuals in the neighborhood (or local authorities) and hung up in prominent areas the night before. Women (comadres) will make the dolls for Compadres Day, and men (compadres) will make the dolls for Comadres Day. Generally, the women and the men will each be offered meals or drinks on their respective days.
Local authorities sponsor the Compadres y Comadres float contest, the winners of which will form part of the big parade in the Plaza de Armas. In fact, there are two big float and dance parades, both on the 2nd and the 9th. The Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Southern Valley will hold contests as well.
There are usuallyseveral food fairs held in Cusco’s central plazas during the week of carnaval. Of the dishes on offer, the most traditional Carnaval dish is t’impu, or puchero, which is actually two dishes served separately but eaten together. The first is a stew of various meats, cabbage, fresh and dehydrated potatoes, garbanzos, and rice. The second is boiled sweet potato, peaches, pears, and yucca. Lone travelers looking for a lighter dish should definitely try kapchi de setas, a mushroom stew served alongside rice and stuffed pepper. Finally, quench your thirst with a naturally-fermented frutillada, made with chicha de jora and wild strawberries boiled with cinnamon and spearmint.