Cartagena de Indias is a city that stands out for its gastronomy between the typical flavors of the Caribbean, the seasoning brought from Africa and the European influence since colonial times. 

It is thanks to this gastronomic diversity that there are several food festivals in the city, such as the Pastel Festival, which is a mixture of rice and meat wrapped in platano leaves, or the Candy Festival that takes place during Holy Week with different fruit recipes typical of the region. 

At the end of January of each year the famous Festival del Frito Cartagenero is held, which was born as part of the festivities in honor of the Candelaria Virgin. In this festival different matronas fritangueras make typical preparations in corn or cassava dough such as arepas with egg, empanadas, carimañolas, buñuelos and stuffed potatoes.

Micaela Morelo Miranda, a matrona for 32 years, told Radio Nacional de Colombia that her love for this tradition was born watching her mother, since she was young, making delicacies such as the traditional carimañolas, empanadas and the inevitable arepa with egg.

"For me it meant something very special, in my mother I saw a teacher. Her meticulous way of using the dough, wheat flour and other ingredients to make the fritos made me fall in love," said Morelo. 

This year El festival del frito will be held from January 26th to February 2nd in Chambacú, one of the popular neighborhoods of the city, located a few meters from the Historic Center.

"This festival is part of our Candelaria festivities, so it is a complement to the religious tradition of the city. The transmission of culinary knowledge from one generation to another for more than 30 years, is the reason why we have our festival alive despite the passage of time," said the director of the Institute of Heritage and Culture of Cartagena, Oscar Ariza.

Sanitary Measures

All citizens and tourists who want to enter the Festival del Frito will be required to have a physical or virtual vaccination card and to wear a face mask. Likewise, in coordination with the District Administrative Department of Health, a vaccination post will be set up in order to continue with the progress of the National Vaccination Plan.

The entrance will be on Pedro de Heredia Avenue from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends until 12:00 midnight.