Fiesta de La Tirana

The festival

Every July 16th, a village of a few hundred souls lost in the Tamarugal pampa, at the gates of the Atacama Desert, becomes the religious capital of northern Chile: La Tirana honours the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of the country, nicknamed "La Chinita". In 2026, the festival ran from July 10th to 20th and welcomed 208 religiososos bailes — these fraternities of dancers-musicians in dazzling costumes: diabladas with cornus masks, morenadas, chinos bailes and fanfares — in front of 250,000 to 500,000 pilgrims.

The edition marked the centenary of the coronation of the Virgin in 1926, honored with a new crown offered by the leases. The Entrada Solemne opened the feast on the evening of July 10; the great procession took place on July 16.