# Golden Congo

The Golden Congo (Spanish: Congo de Oro) is a Colombian music award that since its founding in 1969 has been presented annually at the Orchestra Festival (Spanish: Festival de Orquestas) of the Barranquilla Carnival.
The current Golden Congo award comprises six genre prizes: Vallenato (since 1978), Merengue (since 1994), Tropical (since 1994), Salsa (since 1994), Urbano (since 2012), Folk (1992–4, and again since 2018), and four additional prizes: Newcomer, Best Vocalist, Best Instrumentalist and Lo Nuestro ("What's Ours").

## Winners
### 2024–2025

The 2025 Orchestra Festival took place on Sunday 2 March. For the first time, it was planned that only one Golden Congo would be awarded. The award was won by salsa artist Byordy, with La Charanga del Sur coming in second place, and Luismi Yánez in third.
| Year | Recipients of a Golden Congo |
| 2025 | Byordy |
In 2024 the Barranquilla Carnival celebrated its 20th incarnation since being proclaimed intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2003. As part of the celebrations, the Orchestra Festival did not hold a competition for the Golden Congo, but instead awarded one to every performer.
| Year | Recipients of a Golden Congo |
| 2024 | La Orquesta Internacional de la Policía, Gaiteros de San Jacinto Nueva Generación, Zona 8 Orquesta, Mary Ángel Sanabria, Tubará Reggae, Dionis K da Uno, Son del Sabor, Orquesta Klasica de Ibagué, Los Diferentes del Vallenato, Rafa Pérez, Omar Enrique, Will Fiorillo, La Carmen, Álvaro Ricardo, Cris & Ronny |

### 2012–2023

In 2012 Golden Congos for "best performance" (Spanish: variations on mejor intérprete or mejor instrumentista) and "urbano music" were given for the first time, and the "newcomer" (Spanish: revelación) prize was reintroduced. In 2016 the Golden Congo for performance was split into separate prizes for vocalists and instrumentalists, and in 2018 "folk" was reintroduced as a genre category.
On the 50th anniversary of the Orchestra Festival in 2019 no awards were given; instead, past competitors and winners returned to perform at the festival, including Los Corraleros de Majagual, Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Pacho Galán, Checo Acosta, Juan Piña [es], Poncho Zuleta [es], Sergio Vargas, Beto Zabaleta [es], Eddy Herrera, Bazurto All Stars, and Jorge Oñate. In 2021 there was no Barranquilla Carnival due to the Covid-19 pandemic; the Orchestra Festival held a virtual event featuring past performances.
| Year | Vallenato | Merengue | Tropical | Salsa | Urbano | Folk | Newcomer | Best Vocalist | Best Instrumentalist | Lo Nuestro |
| 2023 | Juan Sajona and Ricardo Oñate | Terranova Orquesta | Orquesta Klásica de Ibagué | Charanga Joven | Juanda Caribe | Gaiteros de San Jacinto Nueva Generación | Yeison Landero | Ricardo Oñate | Daniel Vega Franco | — |
| 2022 | Nelson Velásquez [es] | Dionis K-Da Uno | Súper Combo Latino | Danny Daniel [es] | Óscar Prince | C-Tambó | Juanda Caribe | Caliope | Joan Camilo Silvera | — |
| 2021 | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. |
| 2020 | Fausto Chatela | Kumbelé Orquesta | Súper Combo Latino de Montería | Ray Palacio | Willy Fiorillo | Alegres Ambulancias | Bahía Sokus | Estefanie Mercedes | Jorge Antonio Negrette | — |
| 2019 | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. | No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. |
| 2018 | Fello Zabaleta | RH Positivo | La Nómina del Pin | Charanga del Sur | Bazurto All Star | La Banda de Nayo [es] | Linica | Danny Daniel | Nayo | Cumbia Caribe |
| 2017 | Evelyn | Kumbelé Orquesta | La Nómina del Pin | Fausto Chatela | Grupo Scala | — | — | Fausto Chatela | Wendy Paola Corro Cardona | La Banda de Nayo |
| 2016 | Dyonell Velásquez | Los Inéditos | La Nómina del Pin | Johnny "El Bravo" López | Bazurto All Stars | — | — | Andrés Prado (from the group of "El Bravo") | Dyonell Velásquez (accordion) | La Banda de Nayo |
| 2016 | Dyonell Velásquez | Los Inéditos | La Nómina del Pin | Johnny "El Bravo" López | Bazurto All Stars | — | — | Andrés Prado (from the group of "El Bravo") | Nayo (flute) | La Banda de Nayo |
| Year | Vallenato | Merengue | Tropical | Salsa | Urbano | Folk | Newcomer | Best Performance | Best Performance | Lo Nuestro |
| 2015 | Andrés Ariza Villazón & Luis Campillo | Bandola Orquesta | Edwin Gómez | Bandola Orquesta | Mr. Black | — | Dyonnel Velásquez | Nayo | Nayo | C-Tambó |
| 2014 | Churo Díaz [es] & Elías Mendoza | Sergio Vargas | Voces de Billo Hoy | Pachalo y su Son Cubano | Africaribe | — | Bandé Orquesta | Rafael Gavilán Pachalo | Rafael Gavilán Pachalo | La Banda de Nayo |
| 2013 | Peter Manjarrés [es] | — | La Nómina del Pin | Orquesta Broadway de Cuba | Kevin Flórez | — | Fausto Chatela | Miguel Romero | Miguel Romero | Álvaro Ricardo |
| 2012 | Iván Villazón | Bonny Cepeda | La Nómina del Pin | Danny Daniel | Punto G | — | Orquesta Bareke | Elías Mendoza | Elías Mendoza | Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto |
| "—" denotes no award given or no information available. |||||||||||

### 1995–2011

In 1995 the categories "newcomer" and "folk group" were discontinued, and a prize was introduced called the "Premio Rescate de lo Nuestro" (English: rescuing what is ours prize). It later became known as simply "Lo Nuestro", and at one point as "Lo Nuestro 'Roberto de Castro'".
| Year | Vallenato | Merengue | Tropical | Salsa | Lo Nuestro |
| 2011 | Kvrass | Wilfrido Vargas | Álvaro Ricardo | Orquesta de la Policía Nacional | Punto G |
| 2010 | Iván Villazón | Eddy Herrera | Checo Acosta y su Orquesta | Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz | Álvaro Ricardo |
| 2009 | Jorge Celedón | RH Positivo | Checo Acosta | Andy Montañez | Totó la Momposina |
| 2008 | Peter Manjarrés | Bananas | Gran Orquesta del Carnaval | Estrellas de Niche | Fusión Orquesta |
| 2007 | Iván Villazón | Milly Quezada | Checo Acosta | Adolescente | Cumbia Caribe |
| 2006 | Peter Manjarrés | Los Vecinos | Son de Ovejas | Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz | — |
| 2005 | Iván Villazón | Eddy Herrera | Fusión Atlántico | José Alberto "El Canario" | — |
| 2004 | — | Eddy Herrera | Checo Acosta | Trabuko | — |
| 2003 | — | — | Fusión Orquesta | Kimbombó | Son de Ovejas |
| 2002 | — | RH Positivo | Jacaranda Show | Kimbombó | Son Mocaná |
| 2001 | — | RH Positivo | Shekeré | Orquesta Kimbombó | La Franja |
| 2000 | — | Factor RH | Fascinación Caribe | Guayacán Orquesta | La Franja |
| 1999 | — | La Clave | Checo Acosta | Grupo Niche | — |
| 1998 | Iván Villazón & Franco Argelles | Los Generales | Joe Arroyo with La Matica de Patilla | Grupo Clase | Checo Acosta |
| 1997 | Iván Villazón and Franco Argelles | La Clave (national) | Joe Arroyo | Grupo Niche (national) | Checo Acosta |
| 1997 | Iván Villazón and Franco Argelles | Los Toros Band [de] and Kinito Méndez (external) | Cohiba de Cuba (external) | Grupo Niche (national) | Checo Acosta |
| 1996 | Binomio de Oro | La Clave (national) | Checo Acosta | — | — |
| 1996 | Binomio de Oro | Rikarena [es] (external) | Checo Acosta | — | — |
| 1995 | Iván Villazón & Franco Argelles | Bananas | Joe Arroyo (national) | Grupo Niche (national) | Zoila Nieto |
| 1995 | Iván Villazón & Franco Argelles | Eddie Herrera (external) | Joe Arroyo (national) | Irakere (external) | Zoila Nieto |
| "—" denotes no award given or no information available. ||||||

### 1994

In 1994 prizes for the musical genres of merengue, tropical, and salsa were introduced, in place of "orchestra" and "ensemble". 1994 was also the last year that "newcomer" and "folk group" were awarded until their return in 2012 and 2018 respectively.
| Year | Vallenato/Accordion | Merengue | Tropical | Salsa | Newcomer | Folk Group |
| 1994 | Los Betos | Grupo Bananas | Checo Acosta | El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico | La Clave | Swing Barranquilla |

### 1989–1993

In 1989 the category of "newcomer" (Spanish: revelación) was awarded for the first time, and in 1992 "folk group" (Spanish: grupo folclórico) was introduced as a category; both were discontinued after 1994 and reintroduced in the 2010s.
| Year | Orchestra | Ensemble/Group | Vallenato/Accordion | Newcomer | Folk Group |
| 1993 | Grupo Niche (national) | Los Tupamaros [es] | Julio Rojas [es] & Joaco Pertuz | Los Alfa 8 | Juan Piña [es] |
| 1993 | La Sonora Ponceña (external) | Los Tupamaros [es] | Julio Rojas [es] & Joaco Pertuz | Los Alfa 8 | Juan Piña [es] |
| 1992 | Los Inéditos (national) | — | Binomio de Oro | — | Son Cartagena |
| 1992 | Oscar De León (external) | — | Binomio de Oro | — | Son Cartagena |
| 1991 | Los Inéditos | Nando Pérez (tropical) | Binomio de Oro | Joseíto Martínez | — |
| 1991 | Los Inéditos | Grupo Niche (salsa) | Binomio de Oro | Joseíto Martínez | — |
| 1990 | Los Tupamaros (national) | Grupo Raíces | Diomedes Díaz | La Innovación | — |
| 1990 | Josie Esteban y la Patrulla 15 (external) | Grupo Raíces | Diomedes Díaz | La Innovación | — |
| 1989 | Pacho Galán | Joe Arroyo (tropical) | Binomio de Oro | Los Tímidos | — |
| 1989 | Pacho Galán | Grupo Clase (external) | Binomio de Oro | Los Tímidos | — |
| "—" denotes no award given or no information available. ||||||

### 1978–1988

In 1978 the category of "vallenato" was introduced, which was also sometimes awarded as "accordion". The "ensemble" prize was occasionally awarded as "group" (Spanish: combo) instead. From 1981 the ensemble prize was regularly split by either genre (tropical/salsa) or by nationality.
| Year | Orchestra | Ensemble/Group | Vallenato/Accordion |
| 1988 | Joe Arroyo (national) | Los Inéditos | Binomio de Oro |
| 1988 | Los Tupamaros (national) | Los Inéditos | Binomio de Oro |
| 1987 | Pacho Galán | Joe Arroyo (national) | Binomio de Oro |
| 1987 | Pacho Galán | Wilfrido Vargas (external) | Binomio de Oro |
| 1986 | Hermanos Martelo | Joe Arroyo (national) | Los Hermanos Zuleta |
| 1986 | Hermanos Martelo | Wilfrido Vargas (external) | Los Hermanos Zuleta |
| 1985 | Los Caribes | Joe Arroyo (national) | Jorge Oñate |
| 1985 | Los Caribes | Johnny Ventura & Los Vecinos (external) | Jorge Oñate |
| 1984 | Hermanos Martelo | Joe Arroyo (national) | Jorge Oñate |
| 1984 | Hermanos Martelo | Johnny Ventura & Los Vecinos (external) | Jorge Oñate |
| 1983 | Hermanos Martelo | Juan Piña (tropical) | Diomedes Díaz |
| 1983 | Hermanos Martelo | Cuco Valoy (salsa) | Diomedes Díaz |
| 1982 | Pacho Galán | Juan Piña (tropical) | El Doble Poder |
| 1982 | Pacho Galán | Wilfrido Vargas (salsa) | El Doble Poder |
| 1981 | Pacho Galán | Gabriel Romero [es] (tropical) | Jorge Oñate |
| 1981 | Pacho Galán | Cuco Valoy (salsa) | Jorge Oñate |
| 1980 | Los Melódicos | Juan Piña | Alfredo Gutiérrez |
| 1979 | Los Melódicos | Pastor López y sus famosas Caleñas | Jorge Oñate |
| 1978 | Pacho Galán | Fruko y sus Tesos | Binomio de Oro |

### 1969–1977

From 1969 to 1977 the only categories were "orchestra" (Spanish: orquesta) and "ensemble" (Spanish: conjunto).
| Year | Orchestra | Ensemble |
| 1977 | Pacho Galán | Adolfo Echeverría [es] |
| 1976 | Los Caribes | Alfredo Gutiérrez |
| 1975 | Hermanos Martelo | Nelson Henríquez [es] |
| 1974 | Pacho Galán | Fruko y sus Tesos |
| 1973 | Lucho Bermúdez | Nelson Henríquez |
| 1972 | Los Melódicos | Afrocombo |
| 1972 | Papa Molina [es] (small orchestra) | Afrocombo |
| 1971 | Hermanos Martelo | Los Graduados |
| 1970 | Hermanos Martelo | La Sonora Matancera |
| 1969 | Billo's Caracas Boys | Los Corraleros de Majagual |

## Special awards

Occasionally special Golden Congos are given to recognise particular achievements.

### The Super Congo

The Super Congo (also called the Super Congo de Oro or the Supercongo) was created in 1990 specifically to honour Joe Arroyo, who had won a Golden Congo at each of the 6 preceding festivals. Since then the Super Congo has been awarded several times.
Recipients of a Super Congo :
| Year | Recipient |
| 1990 | Joe Arroyo |
| 1991 | Los Hermanos Rosario |
| 1998 | Shakira |
| 2013 | Checo Acosta |
| 2014 | Grupo Niche |
| 2014 | Jorge Oñate |

### Rey del Pueblo

Twice a Rey del Pueblo (King of the People) has been crowned at the Orchestra Festival, decided by a public vote.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2014 | Martín Elías & Juancho De la Espriella |
| 2015 | Cuco Valoy |

### Unique awards

Some Golden Congos have only been given once. In 1985 Alejo Durán was awarded the "Special Congo" (Spanish: Congo Especial). In 1989 Alfredo de la Fe won a Golden Congo for "Best Solo Artist". In 1994 Cristian del Real received an honourable mention as the "boy genius of the timbal." In 2025 a Platinum Congo (Congo Platino) was awarded via audience applause to Orquesta La Máxima.

## Related awards

Golden Congos are also given for floats and dancers that take part in the Battle of the Flowers parade of the Barranquilla Carnival.

### Night of Orchestras

At the Barranquilla Carnival Night of Orchestras (Spanish: Noche de Orquestas) a jury awards Golden Congos in the same genre categories as the Orchestra Festival, and in addition awards the "Antonio María Peñaloza" prize for an unpublished song. The competition at the Night of Orchestras is open to musicians and groups from Barranquilla and the surrounding region.$^{:2}$
The awards at the Night of Orchestras were first given in 2018, and the winners received automatic entry to the competition at the Orchestra Festival that year.$^{:5}$ In 2019 no competition was held at the Orchestra Festival, and since then winners at the Night of Orchestras have been granted entry to the Orchestra Festival the following year, as opposed to the same year.$^{:q}$
Winners of the Golden Congo at the Night of Orchestras :
| Year | Vallenato | Merengue | Tropical | Salsa | Urbano | Folk | Newcomer | Best Vocalist | Best Instrumentalist | Best Orchestra |
| 2025 | Martín Elías Jr. | Terranova | Encantó Millero | Profesionales Latin Music | Akanny | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | Abel Cantillo | La Máxima Orquesta | Grupo Musical Warundaimo | Luismi Yanes | Dinastía Valdez | Miriam Negrete | Maribella | Álvaro Alcocer | Eimar Martínez | — |
| 2023 | María Ángel Sanabria | Zona 8 Orquesta | La Carmen | — | Tubará | — | Enkelé Voces y Tambores | Miriam Negrete | Franco Hernández de Curbelo | — |
| 2022 | Los Diferentes | Marisella | Banda Músicos de mi Tierra | Zumbalé Orquesta Internacional | Nobleza Music Álvaro Eugenio Camargo | Marlón De la Peña & his group Viento y Tambó | Charanga Jóven | María Paula Meza (Músicos de mi Tierra) | Luis Miguel Yanes, (Timbales, Charanga Jóven) | — |
| 2021 | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. |
| 2020 | Lino Quiroz | Dionis K da Uno | Nolan Orquesta | Orquesta Son del Sabor | Bahía Zokus | — | — | Enrique Paba | — | La Mayor de Curramba |
| 2019 | Los de Juancho | Calipso | Orquesta Súper Combo Latino | A 4 Varas | Óscar Prince | Son Palenque | Área 22 | Luis Ter La Voz | Franco Antonio Hernández Arroyabe | — |
| 2018 | Orla Sandoval e Iván de Hoyos | — | Juancho Naranjo | Ébano | Linica | Conjunto Tradición | — | Galapa Orquesta | Joaquín Pérez (gaita) | — |
| 2018 | Orla Sandoval e Iván de Hoyos | — | Juancho Naranjo | Ébano | Linica | Conjunto Tradición | — | Galapa Orquesta | Jesús Avendaño (guitar) | — |
| "—" denotes no award given or no information available. |||||||||||
Winners of the "Antonio María Peñaloza" Golden Congo for an unpublished song :
| Year | Position | Title | Performer | Writer |
| 2024 | 1st place | "Para ser Feliz" | Revolú | Ronald Polo |
| 2024 | 2nd place | "De Todo Para Todos" | Byordi | Yordy Beleño & Carlos Díaz |
| 2024 | 3rd place | "A Ritmo de Carnaval" | Marlon Hincapié, Fidet Leotav, Jorge Salcedo | Marlon Hincapié, Fidet Leotav, Jorge Salcedo |
| 2023 | 1st place | "La Madre Tierra" | Son Son | — |
| 2023 | 2nd place | "Mi Historia" | Marelvis Herrera | — |
| 2023 | 3rd place | "Barranquilla de Puro Corazón" | Astroson Orquesta | — |
| 2022 | 1st place | "Agua Bendita" | Viento y Tambó | Luis Vega, Marlón De la Peña |
| 2022 | 2nd place | "Mil Años" | Charanga Jóven | Jorge Salgado |
| 2022 | 3rd place | "No Soy la Chica del Momento" | Zumbalé Orquesta Internacional | Luis Clavijo |
| 2021 | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Festival cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. |
| 2020 | 1st place | "Vacilale al Carnaval" | Long Play Band | Lina Pineda |
| 2020 | 2nd place | "Barranquilla Tiene Swing" | Nolan Orquesta | Frank Guerrero |
| 2020 | 3rd place | "Ven a Barranquilla" | Macondo de Colombia | José Jin Martínez |
| 2019 | 1st place | "Parranda en Carnaval" | Jhon Harby Ubaque | Jhon Harby Ubaque |
| 2019 | 2nd place | "Tortolita" | Son Palenque | Justo Valdez Cáceres |
| 2019 | 3rd place | "Joselito Carnavalero" | Súper Combo Latino | Terinzon Díaz Carmona |
| 2018 | 1st place | "Homenaje a Barranquilla" | Juancho Naranjo | Tevinson Díaz |
| "—" denotes no award given or no information available. |||||