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Cherry Festival See map

Since 1991, during the first days of January the Patagonian city of Los Antiguos makes the Cherry Festival. After the harvest of cherry, the city makes a festival in honor of this delicious red fruit.

Both the cities of Patagonia and the rest of the country, decides to throw a party around the fruit that is part of the main productive activity. It's a way, perhaps inherited from our ancestors, to pay homage to mother earth who blessed with fruits and food to residents. 

Cherries are the "star" of Los Antiguos. Photo courtesy J Bergada.

In Los Antiguos celebrations began back in 1988 giving it a festive setting at the end of the harvest of this fine fruit, which it already was emerging as an important agricultural activity. Another objective of its implementation was to create an event that would attract tourism, and so it was born the Cherry Festival, organized by a group of neighbors and city officials.

Currently, according to municipal sources, the production of cherries and berries is the main productive hub of Los Antiguos, which "exports almost 90 percent of their crop, while the agrotourism has become one of the main attractions of the destination". Visitors can take tours by the 13 farms open to the public to try the homemade pastries and cakes prepared from the berries.

With the fruits are made different products. Photo J Bergada.

The festival

Rodeo skills and musical shows are a classic in these events. In rodeos the people of the region have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, for which the most important herds in the region and leading riders of Patagonia are present. The icing on the cake (in this case cherry) of each festival is the election of the Queen of the Cherry.

Each year the lake Buenos Aires is the center of the festivities, as there are done a demonstration of all the activities you can do in its waters and coasts. Fishing competitions, water sports, beach games, challenges, skate, hip-hop battles, street bands, kite contests, mini kayak school, craft fair and farmers were the axis of the event program. 

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Ministry of Tourism - City of the Ancients

July 11th Ave 446 - Tel: (54) (02 963) 491-261

(9041) Los Antiguos, Santa Cruz, Argentina