Organizers of the Petronio Alvarez Pacific Music Festival in Cali have traveled along Colombia’s west coast to find singers, dancers and models to represent the folkloric culture of the Pacific at the legendary festival’s 16th version from August 15 to 19.
The annual event is a celebration of different cultures of the Pacific coast and comes alive with the sounds of clarinets, marimbas, violines, cununos and the dance of flamenco.
Before the festival kicks off, Cali’s government held competitions in numerous municipalities across the Cauca, Valle del Cauca and Nariño department to give local and often unknown artists the chance to represent their culture and music at the festival.
Twelve folkloric groups, eight in the category of marimba and four in chirimia, were selected in the Guapi municipality in Cauca Monday. “Participants of the towns Charco, San Antonio, San Francisco [got] together in Guapi to show their art. This is what we have achieved with these tours that aims to give room for music that is produced in sometimes surprising areas of our land,” Alex Duque, one of the producers, told El Espectador Monday.
Winners of the local competitions will be announced by the end of this week. The Pacific Music Festival takes place in Cali from August 15 to 19.
