The Candelaria Festival is a religious and cultural festivity celebrated in Puno. The festival is held every year in the first days of February, in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of the city.
The Candelaria Festival is one of the largest and most colorful celebrations in Peru and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world every year. During the festival, parades and folkloric dances take place in the streets, as well as music and dance competitions between different groups and ensembles. Religious processions and ceremonies in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria are also organized.
The Diablada dance is one of the highlights of the Candelaria Festival, in which dancers dress in brightly colored costumes and devil masks to represent a battle between good and evil. Other traditional dances are also performed, such as the Morenada, the Llamerada, the Waca Waca and the Kullawada, among others.