In the District of Anta, the San Luis Rey de Francia patron saint festival begins on August 16 and ends on August 27. August 25 is its main festival day, but religious and cultural events are spread over several days. If you want to plan your trip around a particular part of the celebration, it is worth distinguishing between the evening novenas, the eve program, and the main festival day. Check the current festival dates before your trip if your plans depend on specific events.

Novenas and preparations in the District of Anta

In the District of Anta, the novenas for the San Luis Rey de Francia patron saint festival begin on August 16. During the novenas in the District of Anta, residents go to the church every evening to pray and sing hymns of praise. This means the religious events of the festival in the District of Anta are spread over several days. On August 24, as part of the patron saint festival in the District of Anta, the atrium of San Luis Rey de Francia is decorated with fresh flowers; the saint’s clothing is also changed. August 24 therefore combines preparations at the atrium in the District of Anta with the religious events around August 25.

Retreta and main festival day in the District of Anta

The eve program of the patron saint festival in the District of Anta includes a retreta in front of the temple on the main square. A band, folk performers, and orchestras take part in the retreta as part of the festival in the District of Anta. In the festival schedule in the District of Anta, the retreta differs from the novenas, which focus on prayer and hymns of praise.

On August 25, the main festival day of the patron saint festival in the District of Anta begins at 06:00 with 21 firecracker volleys and wake-up calls. At 11:00, a solemn Mass in honor of San Luis Rey de Francia follows in the District of Anta. Afterward, a procession accompanied by a band travels along the edge of the square as part of the patron saint festival in the District of Anta. After the procession, the mayordomo offers a typical lunch to the festival attendees present at the patron saint festival in the District of Anta. The schedule for the main festival day in the District of Anta thus runs from the early start through Mass and the procession to lunch for those attending the celebration. The program for the patron saint festival in the District of Anta described here includes two bullfighting afternoons with special programs.

The events in the District of Anta provide several reference points for choosing your travel dates: the novenas begin on August 16, and preparations at the atrium take place on August 24. On August 25, firecracker volleys and wake-up calls follow at 06:00, with Mass at 11:00. The main festival day of the patron saint festival in the District of Anta is therefore a clear reference point for Mass and the procession; the other events are spread over a longer period.

Anta–Huaraz Airport: in the District of Anta, north of Huaraz

Anta–Huaraz Airport is located north of the city of Huaraz, in the District of Anta in Carhuaz Province. Martina Café is listed in the airport’s departures area. Under ATMs, Caja Piura and Banco de la Nación are listed; Round Trip is listed in the main hall. If you plan to use any of these listings, check their current status in advance.

Discover more destinations: Carhuaz, Mancos, San Juan District, Chimbote, Yungay, Caraz, Chavin de Huantar, Santo Toribio District

For the regional travel overview: Ancash.