Independence of Cartagena Carnival 2025 Schedule

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Every November, Cartagena Independence Day is celebrated with a week or more of fiestas featuring parades, cultural presentations, and plenty of rowdy dancing and partying in the streets.

Cartagena Independence Day 2025 will be no exception.

In fact, this year’s fiestas, sometimes also called the Independence of Cartagena Carnival, should be one of the biggest the city has had in years with the mayor putting a special emphasis on them.

Read on to learn about the schedule for Cartagena Independence Festival 2025.

What is the Cartagena Independence Festival?

Cartagena’s Independence Festival, or the Fiestas de Independencia de Cartagena, also called the Cartagena November Festival, or Fiestas de Noviembre, and sometimes referred the Cartagena Carnival in English, commemorate Cartagena’s Declaration of Independence from Spain on November 11, 1811.

History Behind Cartagena Independence Day

The move towards independence played out as more of a local than a national process in much of Latin America, including Colombia.

Cartagena created the first functioning free state that had declared absolute independence in Colombia. Its declaration is arguably more important than the declaration of autonomy by Bogotá celebrated as Colombian Independence Day.

The city also played a key role in the independence wars, including suffering a brutal 105 day siege in 1815.

Read this post on the history of Cartagena’s Declaration of Independence to learn more. My favorite book on Cartagena history, No Limits to their Sway, about Cartagena’s independence era privateers, is a great read to learn more about this era too (read my review here or check it out on Amazon here).

What to Expect During the Independence of Cartagena Carnival 2025

A big party, that’s what!

There are several main events, including a large parade, a big concert on the bay, a number of other smaller concerts, and several smaller parades.

There’s even two beauty pageants, a local one naming Miss Independence that features candidates from Cartagena’s barrios, and the national beauty pageant that names Miss Colombia.

Oh yea, and did I mention, it’s a big party?

Look, I always had a blast during the fiestas, but they are not for everyone.

It’s rowdy.

There are big crowds.

People spray each other with foam, throw corn starch, throw little firecrackers, throw water, throw paint, etc.

If you want to participate, it’s important to come prepared by wearing clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and take precautions like not carrying valuables.

Having a money belt, a neck pouch, a cross body pouch, or a bra pouch is a wise idea too.

Read this post to learn more about what to expect during the Cartagena Independence Fiestas.

Dates for Cartagena Independence Day 2025 Festivities

November 11 falls on a Tuesday this year.

Note that Monday November 17, the Monday after November 11, is a national holiday in Colombia.

November 11, 13, and 14 are also public holidays in Cartagena due to the fiestas.

The full schedule was released in early August, and I’ll cover it in detail below, but the main events will be from around November 2 to November 15, with the biggest events concentrated on the weekend of Thursday November 13 through Sunday November 15.

The mayor had mentioned in an interview with El Universal that he hoped to bring a higher profile lineup of musical artists this year, specifically mentioning Don Omar, David Guetta, DJ Tiësto, Marc Anthony, Rubén Blades, Eddie Santiago, David Pavón and Romeo Santos, among the options back in March.

With the official announcement of the schedule, he didn’t make 100% good on that promise, but he did make good on it, and there are a number of well known artists set to perform, among them Marc Anthony, Maluma, and Carlos Vives.

They will all perform as part of the boat concert on the 14th and 15th of November. Learn more about what to expect during this event in this guide to the 2025 Cartagena Festival Náutico.

The other biggest event is the parade on Thursday November 13th, but there are lots of smaller concerts and events related to the pageant in the days around those dates.

Check out the full schedule below to see all of those events.

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Full Cartagena Independence Day 2025 Festival Schedule

I’ll be updating this post as quick as possible with more information as it is announced or as any changes are made.

This schedule is based on the officially released schedule announced in an event on August 6 and summarized in this press release from the mayor’s office and this Instagram post from the IPCC.

There is also a more recent publication of the schedule in pdf form here on the IPCC’s website.

It’s worth pointing out that there are a handful of small discrepancies for dates between those 3 publications. Where there is a difference, I’ve used the information from that most recent publication below.

It’s also worth pointing out that specific start times for many things, particularly the prelude events, are not included, and the IPCC is announcing them just a few days before via their social media pages.

In my experience trying to keep up with this in past years, the IPCC’s Instagram seems to be the best place to follow for the latest updates, and the mayor has been very involved so his Instagram also seems like a good follow.

In addition to the day by day schedule, I’ve included some notes on what to expect and if these are good events for foreign tourists to attend or not. Do keep in mind the safety recommendations mentioned above for any events you attend.

Friday September 26

• Preludio Cultural Universitario
  • Time: 2 pm
  • Where: Las Bovedas
  • What to Expect: This is the first real event of the fiestas. It’s a prelude event organized by the university. It might include a small parade and possibly some live music and dance performances in Centro around the Clocktower that evening. The Miss Independence beauty queens might participate.

Tuesday September 30

• Segunda Mesa de la Cartageneidad
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: tbd
  • What to Expect: A conference or roundtable discussion about aspects of Cartagena cultural identity. This event is probably not all that apt or interesting for tourists.

Wednesday October 1 (to Thursday October 30)

• “Mi Barrio es Cartagena” Contest
  • Time: n/a
  • Where: Different barrios of the city
  • What to Expect: This is a contest organized by the city for different barrios to show off their cultural contributions to Cartagena. It’s not an event that is all that apt or interesting for tourists.

Friday October 3

• Preludio Localidad 1 Histórica y del Caribe Norte
  • Time: 4 pm
  • Where: Plaza de Canapote
  • What to Expect: This is an opening event for the barrios in this section of the city. The beauty queens will be there, there will be a parade, and there will be live music. One of the big changes this year is the addition of preprogramed and better known artists for these events. That being said, I’d discourage most tourists from attending these events unless you speak Spanish and know a trusted local that lives in these areas.
    • Scheduled performers:
      • Poncho Zuleta
      • Los Inéditos
      • Puerto Rican Power
      • Koffe el Kafetero

Friday October 10

• Preludio Localidad 2 De la Virgen y Turística
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: Softball Stadium in Las Palmeras
  • What to Expect: Same as above, a prelude event for the barrios of this area of the city with the beauty queens, a parade, and live music. Again, I’d discourage going as a tourist unless you have a trusted local that lives in these areas.
    • Artistas programados:
      • Mr. Black
      • Farid Ortiz
      • Sergio Vargas

Friday October 17

• Preludio Localidad 3 Industrial y de la Bahía
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: Softball Stadium in Blas de Lezo
  • What to Expect: Same as the other preludes outside of Centro. Once again, despite them looking like better organized events this year than in years past, I would not recommend going as a tourist.
    • Artistas programados:
      • Cayito Dangond
      • Jorge Alberto “El Canario”
      • DJ Tremendo

Thursday October 23

• Recorrido Corregimental
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: In the towns of La Boquilla, Manzanillo, Pontezuela, and Bayunca to the north of Cartagena .
  • What to Expect: These are essentially the prelude events in these towns. I’d expect small parades and possibly live music in the town’s main plazas. The beauty queens may make the rounds. If you happen to be at the beach in La Boquilla or Manzanillo, you could possibly check them out but, like the other preludes, these aren’t the most tourist friendly events.

Friday October 24

• Noche de Candela y Jolgorio de Tambores
  • Time: 6:30 pm (parade); 7:00 pm (concert)
  • Where: Plaza de los Coches (Clocktower) with parade starting at Las Bovedas
  • What to Expect: There should be live music and the participation of the local beauty queens. There will be local artists performing with drums and people are encourage to bring candles. It should be free and there may be limited space around the stage. According to this Instagram post by the IPCC, there will be a parade starting at Las Bovedas at 6:30, followed by the concert at 7:00.

Saturday November 1

• Angeles Somos
  • Time: all day, children’s parade time tbd
  • Where: All over the city; parade in the Walled City.
  • What to Expect: This is a local tradition where children go around and ask their neighbors for different ingredients to make a traditional stew known as a sancocho. It’s unlikely kids will be out doing this in the tourist neighborhoods. There will be a children’s parade in the afternoon or early evening in Centro, but it will most likely be very low key.

Sunday November 2

• Desfile Tradición Festiva
  • Time: tbd (7 pm estimated)
  • Where: Plaza de la Aduana (near Clocktower)
  • What to Expect: This is the first of the larger events in Centro with better known artists scheduled. The local beauty queens strut the runway tonight in dresses/costumes that pay homage to aspects of Cartagenero culture and/or the history of the fiestas. This event should be free but there may be barriers put up around the plaza and limited space. The IPCC will likely announce the official start time in the week before via their Instagram, but I’d estimate around 7 pm based on the start time of the Noche de Jolglorio de Tambores.
    • Artistas programados:
      • Soneros de Gamero
      • Eddie Herrera

Thursday November 6

• Cabildo Escuela Normal Superior de Cartagena
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: El Centro (Walled City)
  • What to Expect: This is a small parade organized by a school. In years past it’s run from Las Bovedas to the Clocktower.

Friday November 7

• Entrega de las llaves de la ciudad a las candidatas al Concurso Nacional de Belleza
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: tbd
  • What to Expect: The mayor presents the keys to the city to the Miss Colombia beauty pageant participants. This is most likely a private or invite only event but might be televised.

• Desfile en traje de baño de las candidatas al Reinado de Independencia de Cartagena
  • Time: tbd (estimated 7 pm)
  • Where: Plaza de la Aduana (by Clocktower)
  • What to Expect: The Miss Independence beauty queens will do their swimsuit competition and strut their stuff on the runway with live music to accompany them. This event should be free but usually does draw a large crowd and the plaza may be cordoned off, so you might want to get there early if you want to get a good spot. Based on other events like this start times, I’d estimated a 7, maybe 8 pm start, but we will likely only know the week of the event via the IPCC’s Instagram.
    • Scheduled Musical Performers:
      • Twister
      • Magic Juan
• Cabildo Vivo de Bocachica Itmina Fanti
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: Plaza de Bocachica
  • What to Expect: A local event in Bocachica. It’s not worth trying to go out to this, but if you happen to be in Bocachica today, it might be neat to see.
• Festival Escolar Jorge García Usta
  • Time: tbd (during the school day)
  • Where: Coliseo Bernardo Caraballo
  • What to Expect: This is a school festival, likely with presentations by the school’s children related to aspects of Cartagena culture and not likely all that interesting for tourists.

Saturday November 8

• Desfile de las Diversidades
  • Time: tbd (estimated late afternoon or early evening)
  • Where: Plaza de Miguel Cevantes in front of the Banco Popular building (just outside the Clocktower)
  • What to Expect: The diversity parade is similar to a pride parade and emphasizes the LGBTQ community in Cartagena. It usually isn’t particularly large, but there’s usually some fun costumes and a nice atmosphere. This parade is often in the late afternoon or early evening, so I’d estimate anywhere between 3 pm and 7 pm for it to start.
• Primer Preludio Magisterio
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: In the neighborhoods of Blas de Lezo, Caracoles, Almirante Colón, y Napoleón Perea
  • What to Expect: A parade through these neighborhoods with possibly some live music and the participation of the beauty queens. Like the other preludes, I’d discourage tourists from attending.

Sunday November 9

• Fiesta de los Grandes Lanceros y Actores Festivos
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: tbd
  • What to Expect: This is a private party for the participants in the events of the fiestas.

Monday November 10

• Noche de Talentos
  • Time: 8 am to 1 pm
  • Where: Hotel Corales de Indias (in Crespo, near airport)
  • What to Expect: This is the talent show for the beauty pageant. Expect lots of dancing, with some singing, and possibly some other talents. We’ve been to this and it’s fun. This event is free, but it’s worth getting there a bit early and getting in line if you want to see it as they theater often fills up.
    • Note: This event has been moved several times on the calendar, but was announced in this Facebook post from the IPCC. It has traditionally been held in the Teatro Mejía in the Walled City but is taking place in the hotel this year. There should be more space there. It’s also being held in the morning instead of the evening for some reason. That post does confirm it is free and is first come first serve until the space is filled.

Tuesday November 11

• Lectura del Acta de Independencia
  • Time: tbd, usually early in the morning
  • Where: Cartagena Convention Center
  • What to Expect: This commemoration and reading of the act of independence is usually a private event by invitation only for government officials, journalists, and special guests. I tried to go one year and was turned away.

• Ofrenda Floral a los Heroes de la Independencia de Cartagena
  • Time: not defined, after the reading of the declaration
  • Where: Camellón de los Mártires (in front of Clocktower) y la Plaza de la Trinidad (Getemaní)
  • What to Expect: A wreath laying on the walkway between the Clocktower and Getsemaní where there are statues to important figures during the independence era, many of them executed by the Spanish. This year there will also be a wreath laid in Getsemaní, I’d imagine at the statue of Pedro Romero.

• Desfile en honor a los heroes de la independencia
  • Time: tbd, last year it was in the morning
  • Where: tbd, last year it was from Matuna to inside the Walled City by the Cathedral
  • What to Expect: A small parade, probably with historic costumes.
• Independence Day Concert
  • Time: 6 pm
  • Where: Plaza de la Aduana (diagonal the Clocktower)
  • What to Expect: This was a recently announced event via this Facebook post by the IPCC. It is a free concert with a number of local artists performing.
    • Artists to Perform:
      • Hector Nazza
      • Luismi Yanes
      • Poncho Zuleta & El Cocha Molina
      • Giblack
      • Grace
      • DJ Blas

Wednesday November 12

• Bolívar 1600
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: Plaza de la Aduana
  • What to Expect: It’s not clear what this event is as I don’t recognize the name from any year past. Based on the location and the fact it continues tomorrow after the parade, I’m assuming it is probably some kind of live music and/or dance performances.
  • ***Note: This event does not appear on the most recently updated schedule. You’ll have to check the IPCC’s Instagram closer to the dates to see if it is rescheduled or not.***

Thursday November 13

• Desfile y Bando de las Fiestas de Independencia del 11 de Noviembre
  • Time: all afternoon, normally starts around 2 pm
  • Where: Avenida Santander (waterfront from the Tunel del Crespo near the airport to the Parque Marina just past the end of the walls)
  • What to Expect: This is the big parade. Musical and dance groups along with others in neat costumes will parade down the road. There will be floats with the Miss Independence and Miss Colombia beauty queens. There aren’t any artists listed on the official schedule but there may be some surprise singers on floats too. You can buy tickets for bleachers outside the walls or you can see from the street in El Cabrero and Marbella neighborhoods. Expect to get sprayed with foam and maizena and dodge firecrackers if in the street. Be aware that the road usually closes by noon as well.

Friday November 14

• Festival Náutico de Independencia y Bololó del Arsenal
  • Time: tbd; in the afternoon and evening
  • Where: On the bay, should be visible from the Calle del Arsenal in Getsemaní.
  • What to Expect: This event was traditionally a boat parade with the beauty queens. It hadn’t been held for a number of years until they brought it back last year. I have actually never been to this event because it never happened while I was living in Cartagena, but it seems like it’s an event the mayor is trying to leave his mark on as bigger and better, and it’s where the biggest artists will perform. It’s even 2 days this year. You’ll need to be on a boat for the best view, but there will also be giant screens set up on the Calle del Arsenal so people on dry land can see the show. I’d expect an atmosphere similar to the parade with foam and maizena there.
    • Musical Guest Scheduled for Friday
      • Maluma
      • Carlos Vives
      • Elder Dayán
  • More info: Learn more about what to expect during the Festival Náutico 2025 here.

Saturday November 15

• Festival Náutico Día 2
  • Time: tbd; afternoon and evening
  • Where: The bay and Calle del Arsenal in Getsemaní
  • What to Expect: A second day with more musical performances. It’s not clear if one day will be for the national beauty queens and one for the local ones or if all of them will participate both days.
    • Performers Scheduled for Saturday:
      • Marc Anthony
      • Rikarena
      • Rafa Pérez
      • DJ Natalia Paris
  • More info: Learn more about what to expect during the Festival Náutico 2025 here.

Sunday November 16

• Cabildo de Getsemaní
  • Time: tbd, usually in the afternoon
  • Where: From Canapote to the Plaza de la Trinidad in Getsemaní
  • What to Expect: This parade goes from the Canapote neighborhood into Getsemaní and ends at the Plaza de la Trinidad. I wouldn’t recommend trying to go to Canapote, but you can watch it in Getsemaní, and there’s usually a big party at the plaza until well into the night afterwards (note it can often get rowdy).
• Salsa a la Plaza
  • Time: tbd, at night
  • Where: Plaza de la Aduana (by the Clocktower)
  • What to Expect: Salsa music. There aren’t any artists specified in the initial release of the schedule, but maybe that will change as the dates get closer. This is usually a pretty low key night though after all the action the last few days, so it might just be local performers.

Monday November 17

• Velada de Elección y Coronación Reina de la Independencia de Cartagena 2025
  • Time: tbd
  • Where: Convention Center at Hotel las Americas
  • What to Expect: this is the coronation of Miss Independence. Usually there is a whole show where the field gets narrowed down between musical performances and walks on the catwalk until there are 5 finalists and a Miss Independence is crowned. The event is usually televised. It’s often held outside the tourist area too and I’ve generally discouraged trying to go for that reason. The fact that it’s at the Hotel las Americas Convention Center makes me think they are trying to make it a bit more tourist friendly though.
    • Scheduled Performer:
      • Lil Silvio y El Vega

Will You Partake in the 2025 Cartagena Independence Festivities?

Now you have a complete schedule for the 2025 Cartagena Independence Festival with some ideas on what to expect at each of the events.

Keep in mind, this schedule is subject to change and I will do the best I can to keep it updated. Keep in mind that there are often unofficial events too, and the Miss Colombia pageant may organize some of their own events.

Do also keep in mind the tips I shared about safety and be sure to read this guide to the Cartagena Independence Festival if you haven’t already so you know what to expect.

If you do partake in the fiestas, I hope you enjoy them as much as I always have!

Cheers and Felices Fiestas!