The Feria de la Chinita is Maracaibo's annual eight-day festival honouring the Virgin of Chiquinquira, whose image is said to have miraculously appeared on a wooden board in 1709, running each November 11-18 since 1966 with masses, processions, and Zulia's signature gaita music genre at its cultural centre.
The story Maracaibo tells about its patron saint begins with an old woman and a plank of wood.
The fair blends a specific, still-told miracle story, an old woman's wooden board suddenly revealing the Virgin's image after knocks were heard on her wall, with gaita zuliana, a regional musical genre so closely tied to the celebration that gaita songs are effectively the fair's soundtrack, giving Maracaibo's patron-saint festival a distinct musical identity unmatched by other Venezuelan Marian celebrations elsewhere in the country and across the wider Andean and Caribbean region
Veneration of the Virgin of Chiquinquira (La Chinita)
patroness of Zulia state
centred on a founding miracle story from 1709
and gaita zuliana
a call-and-response musical tradition performed on cuatro
charrasca and tambora that is inseparable from the fair's identity
18 November 2026
Move patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.
Lightweight, breathable clothing suited to Maracaibo's hot, humid lowland climate, among the warmest in Venezuela; modest dress is appropriate for attending masses and religious processions.
Watch local behavior before photographing, filming, or entering sacred spaces.
Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.
Public ritual moments are often free, but donations, transport, or temple access may vary.
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Feria de la Chinita is listed for 18 November 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.
The festival is listed in Maracaibo, Venezuela. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.
One day is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.
Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.
Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela
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