Once a year the tranquil town of Jésus María, known for its cultural heritage of Jesuit Estancias, is transformed into a bustling fair of pure Argentinean culture. During this ten-day festival the majority of activities takes place inside an amphitheatre while outside there are ample opportunities for souvenir shopping and eating.
History of Doma and Folklore Festival in Argentina
It all started with a group of neighbours who were searching for a way to raise funds to continue the education of students. What started out as an idea for fund raising grew into an elaborate plan to organize a festival on a national scale. "El Festival Nacional de Doma y Folklore" was born and organized for the first time in 1966 – it soon it grew into Argentina's largest festival.
Gauchos – Traditional Outfits
For the occasion, men and boys dress in sharp gaucho [cowboy] outfits: bombachas, loose trousers, are partly covered by shiny, knee-high leather boots. Over long-sleeved blouses a scarf is worn, and gauchos wear either a sombrero or a beret. The outfit is completed by an elaborate belt or a cummerbund that holds their knife – often beautifully decorated or carved.
The latter says a lot about the happy and relaxed ambiance of this large gathering. Since the knives are such an elementary part of the gaucho outfit, they are allowed inside the amphitheatre. While the Doma and Folklore Festival goes on all night and alcohol flows in abundance, in the forty years of its existence there has never been one single incident with knives.
Gauchos' Horse Breaking Competition
Wild horses are gathered for the occasion and kept on one side of the field. One by one the skills of the gauchos are tested as they mount the horses and attempt to break in the bucking animals. Breaking in horses comes in several degrees of difficulty. These vary from using a saddle, reins and stirrups to the use of only a rein; or from the "light" challenge to stay in the saddle for eight seconds to the "heavy" challenge of staying put for fifteen seconds.
Horse breaking competitions alternate with musicians who entertain the public with traditional folk music and Argentinean dance performances. The spectacle goes on until the early hours.
Doma y Folklore Festival – Tickets, Entrance Fees, Opening Hours
- Horse breaking and nightly shows start around six or seven pm.
- Entrance fees depend on the musicians performing that night, and vary between 20 and 40 pesos per person [US$ 7-13].
- Tickets can be bought beforehand at the entrance of the amphitheatre.
- Inside the amphitheatre bars sell drinks and snacks, but the visitor is also allowed to bring his own.
Doma y Folkore Festival – Restaurants and Shops
Outside the amphitheatre it is one big, bustling market – focused on the main street La Peña – that is open during the day but especially comes alive at night. Rows of souvenir stands offer an abundance of beautiful souvenirs in the form of gaucho outfits and horse riding equipment, as well as regular stands with cloths and gadgets. Eating is possible at a multitude of bars, restaurants or barbecue places. The gastronomy is focused on traditional dishes like asado [barbecue] and is reasonably priced.
Jesús María and Córdoba - Location, Transportation and Accommodation
Córdoba lies in central Argentina. Taravella International Airport has flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina's major cities as well as international connections. Another good option to travel to Córdoba is to take one of the comfortable [overnight] long distance buses that leave from, e.g. the Retiro Bus Terminal in Buenos Aires.
Jesús María lies about 60 kilometres north of Córdoba city, west of Ruta 9 and can be reached by private vehicle as well as by bus. The bus costs just a few pesos and plies on a daily basis.
Car rental may be a good option when you are interested in exploring some of the other tourist attractions in the region such as the Jesuit Estancias or in taking a parapente flight at La Cumbre. Car rental agencies can be found at Córdoba's airport as well as downtown.
While Jésus María has accommodation in the form of hostels, it may be wise to make reservations during the Doma and Folklore Festival. Another option of course is to book a hotel in Córdoba and to drive back and forth. There is a large campsite "Los Nogales" in Jésus María, or pitch a tent in the riverbed as many of the Argentineans do.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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