Colombian Day: A day to discover the Colombian culture in Dublin

Colombian Day welcomes the Colombian community and friends for a celebration of Colombian music, dance, food, bingo, arts, crafts, culture and fun on July 22 in the Harcourt Bar & Garden.

Supported by the Embassy of Colombia in Ireland, this event will introduce attendees to Colombian culture on Saturday 22 July. Colombian Day will take place in the chic Harcourt Bar & Garden Lounge on Harcourt Street (Dublin 2) from 3pm to 9pm.

The festival is a great opportunity to discover Colombian music. “The 20th of July is the day that symbolises Colombia’s independence from Spanish colonisation. It is a public holiday in Colombia and commemorates events that took place in 1810, in what was then the colonial capital of Santa Fé de Bogotá. It is a patriotic celebration of freedom and cultural heritage that can include parades and cultural events with music, dancing and food”, says Brian Heavey, manager at Real Events which organised the event.

Sabor Latino Band will play a Colombian music set with keyboard, bass, congas, timbales, trumpet and vocal at 6.30pm. This band mixes Salsa with Latin Jazz tunes that are great for listening or dancing. Juliana Garcia and Gustavo Ecclesia will play Colombian and Latin American classic hits at 5pm. The audience will be transported by this charming singer-guitarist duo. DJ Rennis Quijada will mix a large range of Colombian music from many genres with something for everyone. From 3pm to 5pm, DJs Graciela & Daniel of Gozadera Tropical from Waterford will introduce cumbia, salsa, afro roots and more traditional Colombian music to the crowd.

From 6pm, the public will enjoy traditional Colombian and Latin American dance performances.

It is in the heart of the Harcourt Bar that Colombian Day will take place. Image via Harcourt Bar.

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try Colombian food and drinks on colombian day

Tortilla Latin Food will serve up tamales, buñuelos, cheese sticks, sweet plantain and yuca fries. Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made with a corn based dough mixture filled with various meats or beans and cheese. Tamales are wrapped and cooked in corn husks or banana leaves, but they are removed from the husks before eating. Colombian buñuelos are simple fried dough fritters topped with sugar and dipped in chocolate. They have a soft crumb and a crispy crust with a hint of sweetness and are a typical Colombian Christmas treat.

A stall will also present Caliente tonic made with ancestral dry plants from Colombia.

Tortilla Latin Food will sell their traditional tamales on Colombian Day. Image by Tortilla Latin Food.

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A market representing Colombian craftsmanship and art

A market will hold diverse stalls of art, beverages or artisan products. Attendees will discover the unique filigreed jewels of Ancestral. They are handmade by Colombian artisans who work with silver and gold. Vanesa Martínez will display a variety of Colombian artisan products. Pretty Touches will sell colourful handmade ribbon accessories, from hair clips, brooch pins, headbands, to necklaces, inspired by flowers. Colombian artist Dayana Bautista Arias will show her original watercolours and prints inspired by nature or Dublin’s streets.

Noelia de Navardez, who runs Yeya Style, will display her jewelleries and warm scarfs. Marta Amaya Lopez from Magic Hands will present some of her pieces to decorate the house like cheese boards, trays and custom made fashion accessories like jackets and stripes for bags.

Fundassue, a non-profit organisation which provides support concerning human rights and legal guidance, will also attend this festival. Fundassue promotes sustainable development and addresses corruption and violence issues in the south west of Colombia.

Epic Contigo, whose objective is to guide the students who choose Ireland, as a destination will also have a stall. This official representative of English institutions and universities helps them integrate in the country and accompanies them before, during and after their studies.

The jewels from Ancestral are made artisanally with the filigree technique. Image via ancestral_joyeria.

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‘A great opportunity to acknowledge and enjoy the culture’

The tickets are sold from €9.55. Children are welcome between 3pm and 6pm. Admission for children (up to 14 years of age) is free but they must have a ticket (when purchasing tickets there is an option to add children). The organisers do not recommend bringing children under 5 years of age as there will not be any baby changing or buggy parking facilities and it will be a busy event with loud music.

“Colombian Day showcases and creates awareness of the community, its cultures, traditions and activities. Integration is at the centre of the project where we want both Colombians and anyone interested to learn more about Colombia and the community in Ireland. It is a great opportunity to acknowledge and enjoy the culture and passions of the community”, explains Brian Heavey.

Location

Harcourt Bar & Garden Lounge 60 Harcourt Street D02 P902 Dublin 2 Ireland