Fiesta de la Santisima Cruz del Senor de Carnaval

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Religious & SpiritualTarma
DatesDates TBA · Usually FebruaryCheck locally before booking
Duration3 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forCeremony, pilgrimageThe Huanuquillana ties devotion to a
LanguageSpanish and QuechuaCurrency: PEN
CategoryReligious & SpiritualFestival type
The story

Fiesta de la Santisima Cruz del Senor de Carnaval in Tarma

Known locally as the Huanuquillana or huanuquillada, this festivity honors the Santisima Cruz del Senor de Carnaval in Tarma's Barrio de Huanuquillo between February and March. It joins a wider Tarma festival calendar built around the Chonguinada, Tunantada, and the city's famed Semana Santa flower-carpet processions.

Tarma, a Junin highland city known across Peru as the Ciudad de las Flores for its valley of flower cultivation, carries one of the country's densest local festival calendars, and the Huanuquillana is one of its lesser-known threads.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The Huanuquillana ties devotion to a carnival-season cross with the neighborhood identity of Huanuquillo, one of several distinct barrios in Tarma, a Junin highland city nicknamed the Ciudad de las Flores for its flower-growing valley and elaborate floral street carpets during Holy Week

02

The mystery stays covered

The festival is one thread in a dense local calendar of masked dances and folk music, including the Chonguinada and Tunantada, that together define Tarma's reputation as a center of Andean festival culture in central Peru

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The Santisima Cruz del Senor de Carnaval is venerated specifically in Tarma's Barrio de Huanuquillo

Water and renewal

Living ritual

where the associated festivity

The sacred route

Living ritual

called Huanuquillana or huanuquillada

The local code

Living ritual

gave its name to a local music and dance style still performed today

Tradition 5

Living ritual

It sits within Tarma's broader Fiesta de la Cruz tradition

Tradition 6

Living ritual

part of a nationwide Peruvian observance of the Cruz de Mayo rooted in the legend of Saint Helena's fourth-century discovery of the True Cross

Tradition 7

Living ritual

though Tarma's version is anchored to the Carnival season in February and March rather than the more common May date

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually February

Getting around

Move patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.

What to wear

Tarma sits at a comparatively moderate altitude for the central Andes, with a temperate valley climate; light layers with a rain-ready jacket are practical given the February-March rainy...

Safety

Watch local behavior before photographing, filming, or entering sacred spaces.

Where to stay

Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Tickets/cost

Public ritual moments are often free, but donations, transport, or temple access may vary.

Language/currency

PEN

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map11.42 S, 75.69 WOpen in Google Maps

Tarma, Junin, Peru

Nearest airportJAU — Francisco Carle
TransportMove patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.
Stay areaStay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

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 Tarma via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Tarma, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for February.Compare faresFestival gearTarma sits at a comparatively moderate altitude for the central Andes, with a temperate valley climate; light layers with a rain-ready jacket are practical given the February-March rainy season. Comfortable footwear suits the town's sloped streets.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Peru 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 Fiesta de la Santisima Cruz del Senor de Carnaval?

Fiesta de la Santisima Cruz del Senor de Carnaval is listed for Past edition: 14–16 February 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Fiesta de la Santisima Cruz del Senor de Carnaval take place?

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

How long should I plan for?

3 days 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?

Tarma, Junin, Peru

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 URLgob.pe
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually February
Source statusOfficial source linked
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