Festival de Barriletes Gigantes Sumpango

Festival de Barriletes Gigantes de Sumpango

View on map
Nature & SeasonSumpango
Dates1 November 2026Confirmed listing
Duration1 dayListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forSeasonal rites, water traditionsKites built for this festival can reach many
Language["es"]Currency: GTQ
CategoryNature & SeasonFestival type
The story

Festival de Barriletes Gigantes Sumpango in Sumpango

Sumpango's annual giant kite festival, held every November 1st since 1978 to honour the Day of the Dead, featuring dozens of community-built tissue-paper and bamboo kites reaching many metres across, with the kite-making technique recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024.

A seventeenth-century English chronicler named Thomas Gage recorded children and youth flying kites in early November to commemorate the Faithful Departed, documenting a Guatemalan custom that has grown, in the town of Sumpango, into an internationally recognised festival of genuinely enormous handmade kites.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Kites built for this festival can reach many metres in diameter, constructed from tissue paper and bamboo over months of community effort, a scale that turns what elsewhere would be a children's pastime into genuine large-format public art addressing social and spiritual themes through radial pattern design

02

The mystery stays covered

The custom's connection to Day of the Dead observance gives the kites a specific communicative purpose, understood locally as a way of reaching departed loved ones rather than pure celebration, and UNESCO's 2024 Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition explicitly names both Sumpango and neighbouring Santiago Sacatepequez as genuinely distinct town traditions sharing the same craft rather than a single shared festival

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Community groups spend months building giant tissue-paper and bamboo kites tied to Day of the Dead observance

Water and renewal

Living ritual

flown and displayed each November 1st as a way of honouring and communicating with departed loved ones

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

1 November 2026

Getting around

Use Sumpango transport around the venue or route first; event-day controls can change normal timing.

What to wear

Comfortable outdoor clothing suited to a full day standing or walking across an open field, plus sun protection given the daytime early-November timing and limited shade at the display...

Safety

Festival de Barriletes Gigantes Sumpango is easier with a small bag, charged phone and group plan that survives poor signal.

Where to stay

Stay near workable transport in Sumpango, especially if the event runs late or streets close.

Tickets/cost

Public water rituals are often open, but boat, viewing, or activity access may be paid.

Language/currency

["es"] · GTQ

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map14.65 N, 90.72 WOpen in Google Maps

Sumpango, Sacatepequez, Guatemala

Nearest airportGUA — La Aurora
TransportUse Sumpango transport around the venue or route first; event-day controls can change normal timing.
Stay areaStay near workable transport in Sumpango, especially if the event runs late or streets close.

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 Sumpango via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Sumpango, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for November.Compare faresFestival gearComfortable outdoor clothing suited to a full day standing or walking across an open field, plus sun protection given the daytime early-November timing and limited shade at the display grounds.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Guatemala 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 Festival de Barriletes Gigantes Sumpango?

Festival de Barriletes Gigantes Sumpango is listed for 1 November 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Festival de Barriletes Gigantes Sumpango take place?

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

How long should I plan for?

One day 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?

Sumpango, Sacatepequez, Guatemala

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 URLfestivaldesumpango.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed dates1 November 2026
Source statusOfficial source linked
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