Popular Coffee Festival

Fiesta Popular del Cafe

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Food & DrinkCalarca
DatesDates TBA · Usually JuneCheck locally before booking
Duration11 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forRegional food & drinkThe Desfile del Yipao is the festival's
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: COP
CategoryFood & DrinkFestival type
The story

Popular Coffee Festival in Calarca

Created by municipal decree in 1960 as a civic response to national violence, Calarca's coffee festival gained a national coffee pageant in 1983 and was declared a Touristic Resource and Cultural Heritage of Quindio in 2004. Its best-known event, the Desfile del Yipao, parades working Willys jeeps loaded with farm tools and produce, alongside craft exhibitions each late June.

Calarca's coffee festival was created by municipal decree in 1960, at the initiative of then-mayor Lieutenant Nelson Mejia Henao, who called on the community to build an event that could mark a new stage of progress and peace for a town, like much of Colombia at the time, still recovering from a period of national violence.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The Desfile del Yipao is the festival's genuine signature: working Willys jeeps, the vehicles historically used to haul coffee harvests across Quindio's steep terrain, loaded with farm tools, furniture and produce as a display of practical working history rather than decorative floats

02

The mystery stays covered

Its founding as an explicit civic response to national violence in 1960, on the initiative of a named mayor, gives it a documented origin distinct from purely commercial coffee-tourism events

03

The city starts moving

Formal 2004 recognition as Cultural Heritage of Quindio department situates it within the region's wider coffee-culture identity rather than treating it as one isolated municipal fair

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The Desfile del Yipao

Water and renewal

Living ritual

parading working Willys jeeps loaded with farm tools and produce in reference to their historical role hauling coffee harvests

The sacred route

Living ritual

is the festival's central custom alongside the Reinado Nacional del Cafe pageant added in 1983

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually June

Getting around

Stay close enough to the part of Calarca you will actually use, especially if the event runs late.

What to wear

Light layers work well given Quindio's coffee-region climate, warm by day and noticeably cooler once the sun sets; comfortable shoes matter for standing along the jeep parade route. Nothing...

Safety

At Popular Coffee Festival, agree on a meeting point and plan food, water and the return route before crowds thicken.

Where to stay

For busy dates, stay near reliable routes so the return after Popular Coffee Festival does not become the hardest part.

Tickets/cost

Entry may be free while tastings, meals, or special tables are paid locally.

Language/currency

COP

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map4.53 N, 75.64 WOpen in Google Maps

Calarca, Quindio, Colombia

Nearest airportCLO — Alfonso Bonilla Aragon
TransportStay close enough to the part of Calarca you will actually use, especially if the event runs late.
Stay areaFor busy dates, stay near reliable routes so the return after Popular Coffee Festival does not become the hardest part.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Calarca via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Calarca, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for June.Compare faresFestival gearLight layers work well given Quindio's coffee-region climate, warm by day and noticeably cooler once the sun sets; comfortable shoes matter for standing along the jeep parade route. Nothing formal is expected outside the pageant final itself.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Colombia and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Popular Coffee Festival?

Popular Coffee Festival is listed for Past edition: 19–29 June 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Popular Coffee Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Calarca, Colombia. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

11 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Needs editorial review. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Calarca, Quindio, Colombia

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLAwaiting confirmation
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually June
Source statusNeeds editorial review
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