Fiestas Patrias (Chile)

Fiestas Patrias
People dancing cueca in the Palace of La Moneda
Also calledEl Dieciocho (en: The Eighteenth)
Observed byChilean people and residents on its territory.
TypeNational
SignificanceDate of the First National Meeting of Government in 1810.
Date18 September
FrequencyAnnual
View of a fonda or ramada, one of the temporary buildings that house the celebrations.
A Huaso folklorist sings the Cueca (the Chilean national dance) during the Fiestas Patrias

The Fiestas Patrias (literally Homeland Holidays)[1] of Chile consist of two days, with a third one added on some years:

  • 18 September, in commemoration of the proclamation of the First Governing Body of 1810, and marking the beginning of the Chilean Independence process.
  • 19 September, known as the "Day of the Glories of the Army".
  • Since 2007,[2] 17 September (if it should be a Monday) or 20 September (if it should be a Friday) will be included as well.
  • Since 2017,[3] 17 September (if it should be a Friday) will also be included.

Within Chile the Fiestas Patrias are often referred to as the Dieciocho, or "18th" because the celebration occurs on 18 September. Unofficially, the celebration can last for around a week, depending on when it falls. For example, if the 18th is a Wednesday, public holidays are from Wednesday the 18th to Friday the 20th and celebrations begin the afternoon of Tuesday the 17th and continue until Sunday the 22nd. It is held close to the spring equinox of the Southern Hemisphere so it doubles as a spring festival. Chile's Declaration of Independence happened on 12 February. Most schools and jobs declare a week-long vacation for the holiday. This day is very important to the Chilean people because they are celebrating their freedom from Spanish rule.

  1. ^ Collins Spanish to English Dictionary, patrio.
  2. ^ "Días Feriados en Chile" (in Spanish). 19 October 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Días Feriados en Chile" (in Spanish). 19 October 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2021.