In Santander, locals and tourists can enjoy different festivities and special events that are held in the Department.
Day of the Santandereanidad
In 2004, the day of the Santandereanidad, was institutionalized in order to celebrate the foundation of Santander as a Sovereign State, in 1857.
Date: May 13
Latin american Festival of Abrapalabra storytellers
Is an international event of storytelling, in which the word is the main protagonist. During this festival various activities are carried out in different parts of the city, involving stories, acrobats, puppeteers, poets, songwriters, among others; all these show the importance of the word as a cultural expression.
Date: September – October
Web site: www.abrapalabra.com.co
Piano International Festival
An International Competition which is held every year, which is promoted by the Ministry of Culture. It involves a group of cultural events such as the national competition of piano, child piano and festival concerts, which are performed in several points of Bucaramanga and ten municipalities of the department of Santander.
Web site: www.facebook.com/pages/FESTIVAL-INTERNACIONAL-DE-PIANO-UIS/92408024041
Bucaramanga Book Fair
Is an event organized by the University Autónoma de Bucaramanga, whose purpose is to promote - in the region - culture and reading habits. This exhibition, which gets together regional and national participants, is carried out simultaneously with cultural activities such as meetings with writers, conferences, literature, film, poetry and specialized workshops (lead to a young and child audience).
Web site: www.ulibro.com/
International Film Festival of Barichara (FICB)
The Prime International Festival of film of Barichara (FICB) took place in the year 2011 from June 30 to July 3, with the participation of national and international guests in categories such as: experimental, animation, science fiction, documentary, as well as an international category.
Jose a. Morales Unpublished Song Festival
This festival is held in the municipality of Socorro in honor to the poet José A. Morales, who left to the country, a musical legacy of great importance in rhythms such as the pasillo, bolero, tango and the bambuco. It has become the second most important festival in Colombia, after the Festival of Mono Núñez.
Date: September
Contest of the Guane de Oro
It is a festival of a traditional type of music named carranguera.
Date: First week of December
Virgin De La Piedra Holiday, patron saint of the carvers
February 11
Saint Lorenzo Holiday, patron saint of Barichara
December 8
Aguinaldo patiamarillo
December 16 to 24