Cachama Festival

Festival de la Cachama

View on map
MusicPuerto Gaitan
DatesDates TBA · Usually MayCheck locally before booking
DurationAnnualEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLive music, late nightsThe catch-and-release cachama weighing
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: COP
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

Cachama Festival in Puerto Gaitan

Founded in 1987 to honour the cachama fish central to Puerto Gaitan's river-fishing economy, this festival's signature event is a public weighing competition for the largest catch, released afterward rather than kept. Joropo performances and a pageant judging candidates on llanero folklore knowledge run alongside, in a Meta department town whose profile expanded further amid the region's oil boom.

Puerto Gaitan's cachama festival began in 1987, when local cultural organisers created an event specifically to honour the cachama, a freshwater fish long central to the municipality's fishing economy along the rivers of Colombia's eastern plains.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The catch-and-release cachama weighing competition is a genuinely specific format, built around one regional freshwater fish species rather than a generic fishing tournament, with fish measured publicly before being returned to the water

02

The mystery stays covered

The festival's pageant judges candidates specifically on their knowledge of llanero folklore rather than appearance alone, an unusual criterion distinguishing it from typical beauty-pageant formats elsewhere in Colombia

03

The city starts moving

Its growth alongside Puerto Gaitan's early-2000s oil boom ties the festival's expanded profile to a documented, datable regional economic shift rather than gradual organic growth alone

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The festival centres on a public cachama weighing competition in which the catch is measured and then released

Water and renewal

Living ritual

alongside joropo performances and a pageant judged partly on candidates' knowledge of llanero folklore

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually May

Getting around

For Cachama Festival, plan transport around the exact Puerto Gaitan venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Light, breathable clothing suits Puerto Gaitan's hot plains climate; sun protection matters for riverside daytime hours watching the fishing competition. Nothing formal is expected outside...

Safety

Keep phone power, water, and a clear meeting point sorted before the main crowd arrives.

Where to stay

For Cachama Festival, stay near the part of Puerto Gaitan you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Ticketing varies by venue and stage. Confirm official passes before booking travel.

Language/currency

COP

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map4.31 N, 72.08 WOpen in Google Maps

Puerto Gaitan, Meta, Colombia

Nearest airportEYP — El Alcaravan - Yopal
TransportFor Cachama Festival, plan transport around the exact Puerto Gaitan venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Cachama Festival, stay near the part of Puerto Gaitan you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

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 Puerto Gaitan via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Puerto Gaitan, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for May.Compare faresFestival gearLight, breathable clothing suits Puerto Gaitan's hot plains climate; sun protection matters for riverside daytime hours watching the fishing competition. Nothing formal is expected outside the pageant final specifically.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 Cachama Festival?

Cachama Festival is listed for May. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Cachama Festival take place?

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

How long should I plan for?

Annual 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?

Puerto Gaitan, Meta, 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 May
Source statusNeeds editorial review
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