Sun National Festival
The Sun Festival started in 1972 and year after year it became the biggest festival of the San Juan people. At the time, there were several artistic shows, parades and the election of a Queen of the Sun. Today, the festival offers activities such as the Fair and thematic exhibition, the final show, which is an original and entirely local show, and Revelations, where new talents of the San Juan culture are discovered and promoted. It is very important in the national artistic calendar and the engine of the province's creative economy.
Punta de Espalda Provincial Festival
San Juan gastronomy workers organize this Festival that takes place every year in the City of San Juan and lasts three days. They show and promote the bovine cut characteristic of the province. If you feel like going, you can have lunch or have some punta de espalda in all kinds of cooking types.
In addition to trying this typical dish, you can try typical products of San Juan and visit a craft fair with traditional local creations.
There is also a myriad of folk art shows.
National Tradition Festival
Since 1962 and in November, San José de Jachal, 150 km north of the City of San Juan, holds the National Tradition Festival.
Does Martín Fierro ring a bell? This festival is held in honor of this book’s writer, José Hernández, and the poet, musician and composer Eusebio de Jesús Dojorti, known by his artistic name, Buenaventura Luna, a native of the province.
The event offers local and national artistic shows, handicraft stands, dancing, gastronomy, poetry and music, and participants from all provinces.
The biggest show is El Fogón de los Arrieros, in which singers and dancers recite a poem by Buenaventura Luna, representing part of Argentine history and its divisions, trying to reconcile all the ideas and historical men of the country.
This classic gaucho festivity shines with its food stalls and the display of the typical skills in the region.
Seed and Apple Festival
If you want to enjoy three nights full of local, provincial and national artists then you have to be part of this Festival, which takes place in the month of February in Rodeo, Iglesia, 195 km north of the City of San Juan.
This festival includes a parade of carriages, dancers, gaucho groups and artistic shows on Santo Domingo Avenue. Then there is the election and coronation of the departmental Queen of the Seed and Apple.
Lovers Festival
Valentine's Day is also celebrated in San Juan, at a party held in Barreal, Calingasta, 205 km. from the City of San Juan.
The General San Martín Square is filled with many national and provincial artists.
You can not miss the Night of Serenades the day before, where singers walk the Lovers Alley and around various houses of Barreal performing waltzes and popular songs.
Grapes and Wine National Festival
We know about the famous San Juan wines, so there is certainly a festival to honour wine. It has been celebrated since 1980 in the month of March in the City of Caucete, 35 km from the City of San Juan, in a Municipal Property, an ex-winery. There are various shows from folklore groups and local, provincial and national tropical groups, as well as dance academies.
The homage to the local and provincial winemaking activity is also shown on the Diagonal de las Reinas where parade floats go along the central streets of Caucete with queen candidates. Later, a queen and princess of the national grape and wine festival are chosen.
The blessing of fruits that were harvested during the year is carried out in the Cristo Rey Church and marks the beginning of the Festival.
The Goat Festival
This tasty celebration is for those who enjoy good gastronomy. It is held every year, in the month of July, in La Majadita, Valle Fertil, 240 km northeast of the City of San Juan.
A mixture of gastronomic aromas with the beauty of the landscape, where the main dish is the goat prepared on the grill, with wine or chanfaina. You can also eat sopaipillas and sweets.
Local, provincial and national artistic shows also add to the celebration.
Santa Lucia National Festival
15 minutes by car to the east of the City of San Juan, this annual festival of religious origin honors the memory of the Patron Saint of the region in the Santa Lucia Square.
The patronal celebrations started with the construction of the chapel, and the same families established the cult by creating a celebration every year in its honor.
Over time, the celebrations incorporated activities such as games, gastronomy, fairs and provincial, national, and international artistic shows.
