Caucasia: Anniversary and History of the Town

The municipality of Caucasia in Bajo Cauca Antioqueño celebrates its anniversary on April 12. The celebration brings together a specific date and the memory of the early settlement on the Río Cauca, from which the town’s present-day name originated. The main festivities include a dawn celebration featuring the traditional rhythms of Porro and Fandango, as well as a military parade with marching band performances. The 2024 celebrations also featured a canoe festival in honor of local fishermen. For planning your trip, both the town’s history and the timing of the events are relevant.

History and the sequence of names

The municipality’s anniversary commemorates the settlement of Doña Petrona Arrieta and her family on the Río Cauca. There, they built the first huts of a settlement that was initially called Cañafístula. In 1927, the town was given the name Caucasia, which it still bears today.

The date and year refer to different milestones: April 12 is the municipality’s anniversary, while 1927 is the year of the later naming. Following the town’s history, you can distinguish the reason for the celebration from the development of the town’s name. The story runs from the settlement and the first huts through the name Cañafístula to the name Caucasia. The anniversary and the change of name are connected in the town’s history, but they are not the same event.

The celebration on April 12

On April 12, the main celebration includes a dawn event featuring the traditional rhythms of Porro and Fandango, as well as a military parade with marching band performances. The musical celebration and the parade are distinct parts of the anniversary: Porro and Fandango are part of the dawn event, while the bands perform as part of the parade. If you plan to include the celebration in your trip, the municipality’s date of April 12 is the starting point for your scheduling. Check the program for the relevant year in advance if you have a particular event in mind.

A canoe festival in 2024

As part of the anniversary celebrations, a canoe festival was held in 2024 in honor of local fishermen. This added another aspect to the festivities: recognition of the fishermen. When planning your time, it is helpful to distinguish between the municipality’s anniversary date and individual events. The anniversary is celebrated on April 12; the canoe festival took place as part of the 2024 celebrations.

Travel dates and finding a hotel

If you would like to include the celebration, April 12 is the relevant date. If you are mainly interested in the town’s history, the settlement on the Río Cauca and the progression from Cañafístula to Caucasia provide a historical context for your trip. This makes it easier to align your personal interests with your preferred travel dates. If your plans depend on a specific event, check the details for the relevant year in advance.

Discover more destinations: Morelia, Girardota, El Paraiso, Guarne, Turbo, Itagui, San Luis, Zaragoza

For the broader travel overview: Antioquia.