Aguinaldo Boyacense

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Carnival & ParadeTunja

DatesDates TBA · Usually DecemberCheck locally before booking

DurationAnnualEstimate from available data

Crowd-Public scale varies

Best forMasks, paradesThe festival's Navidades del Mundo, or

Language["es"]Currency: COP

CategoryCarnival & ParadeFestival type

The story

Aguinaldo Boyacense in Tunja

Aguinaldo Boyacense is Tunja's flagship December Christmas festival, tracing back to a police officer's stunt of parading colleagues dressed as devils and matachines through the city's streets sometime between 1947 and 1956. The modern event centers on judged competitions for floats, comparsas, costumes and music, including the Navidades del Mundo parade reimagining global Christmas traditions.

Aguinaldo Boyacense grew out of a police officer's idea to dress colleagues as devils and matachines and parade them through Tunja's December streets, striking inflated pig bladders against the ground to startle onlookers in a play on older Christmas Eve traditions; accounts differ on whether that stunt happened in 1947 or 1956, but it is generally treated as the festival's origin point, with Carlos Julio Umana credited as the officer behind the idea.

Your trip starts here

What is special

The part that makes it specific.

The place changes

The festival's Navidades del Mundo, or Christmases of the World, parade is a genuinely distinctive format: comparsa groups reinterpret other countries' Christmas traditions through Tunja's own costumed street-theater style, rather than presenting a single fixed local pageant

The mystery stays covered

Its origin as a police officer's devil-and-matachin street prank, rather than a religious procession or a tourism-board invention, gives it an unusually playful founding story among Colombia's December festivals

The city starts moving

Judged competitions across floats, comparsas, individual costumes and musical groups, some editions drawing upward of two thousand participating artists, give the event genuine competitive structure beyond a simple parade

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The festival's central street-theater figures

Water and renewal

Living ritual

devils and matachines parading through the city

The sacred route

Living ritual

descend from a specific mid-twentieth-century police officer's Christmas prank rather than an older religious custom

The local code

Living ritual

and the Navidades del Mundo parade reinterprets other countries' Christmas traditions through local comparsa performance

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually December

Getting around

For Aguinaldo Boyacense, plan transport around the exact Tunja venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Tunja's December nights are genuinely cold given its high Andean altitude, so warm layers, a proper coat and closed shoes matter far more here than at any of Colombia's coastal festivals...

Safety

Keep valuables light, set a meeting point, and give processions room to move.

Where to stay

For Aguinaldo Boyacense, stay near the part of Tunja you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Many carnival moments are public, but confirm paid areas or stands before travel.

Language/currency

["es"] · COP

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map5.54 N, 73.36 W Open in Google Maps

Tunja, Boyaca, Colombia

Nearest airportBOG — El Dorado

TransportFor Aguinaldo Boyacense, plan transport around the exact Tunja venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

Stay areaFor Aguinaldo Boyacense, stay near the part of Tunja 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 Tunja via local transport.Search routes Find a place to stayStays near Tunja, close enough for the event-day route.Browse stays Find flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for December.Compare fares Festival gearTunja's December nights are genuinely cold given its high Andean altitude, so warm layers, a proper coat and closed shoes matter far more here than at any of Colombia's coastal festivals. Gloves and a hat are worth packing for evening parade viewing.Shop the kit Check visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Colombia and apply online.Check entry rules Travel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Aguinaldo Boyacense?

Aguinaldo Boyacense is listed for December. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Aguinaldo Boyacense take place?

The festival is listed in Tunja, 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?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Tunja, Boyaca, 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 URLtunja-boyaca.gov.co

Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →

SourceSource link available

Listed datesDates TBA · Usually December

Source statusOfficial source linked

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →

Aguinaldo Boyacense

Aguinaldo Boyacense in Tunja

The part that makes it specific.

The place changes

The mystery stays covered

The city starts moving

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Water and renewal

The sacred route

The local code

Essential information

When to go

Getting around

What to wear

Safety

Where to stay

Tickets/cost

Language/currency

Family friendly

Tunja, Boyaca, Colombia

Your Trip Starts Here

Quick answers.

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

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