Día de las Velitas falls on the night of Monday 7 to Tuesday 8 December 2026. In Bogotá, candles are lit at nightfall on the 7th, according to the city hall (2019 page). In Cartagena, people wait until after midnight, according to unofficial calendars and the press. The 2026 programmes are not published yet.
Checked on against the cited sources: official Bogotá sources, colombia.travel and reference calendars.
On the evening of 7 December, Colombia lights candles and paper lanterns on balconies, pavements and squares. Día de las Velitas, literally « day of the little candles », leads into the feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December. The timing depends on the city: in Bogotá the night starts at nightfall, while on the Caribbean coast, unofficial calendars and the press talk about midnight, or even the early morning. This article separates what is established for 2026, what comes back from one year to the next, and the 2025 safety tallies you should know before you go.
1. The 2026 calendar: a Monday, a Tuesday public holiday, no long weekend
7 December 2026 falls on a Monday. It is an ordinary working day, neither a national nor a Bogotá public holiday. Tuesday 8 December, on the other hand, is a national public holiday: the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a fixed-date feast that does not move to a Monday. According to calendariodecolombia.com (article published 25 October 2026, consulted 8 November 2026), there is no long weekend this year. The night of the 7th is therefore a weekday night, and travel is concentrated on the morning of the 8th and the 9th.
The confusion is common. A 2023 press article, and some calendar sites, present 7 December as a public holiday. For 2026, that is wrong: the 7th is not a holiday, the 8th is. If you read « night of the 7th, public holiday » with no further detail, it is a shortcut.
The date refers to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in the bull Ineffabilis Deus in 1854. festivos.com.co, an unofficial calendar, links the feast to that proclamation. Sources do not agree on the exact day of the bull (7 or 8 December 1854), so only the year is retained here.
The origin of the street candles is less clear. One source links the Quimbaya lantern tradition to the early 20th century, another to the colonial period. The religious dimension is the best documented. English Wikipedia describes candles and lanterns placed « where they can be seen », with a white flag, an image of the Virgin, at the windows (consulted 8 November 2026).
2. What time do you light the velitas? One night, several start times
There is no common start time. In Bogotá, the celebration begins at nightfall on the 7th, according to the city hall (2019 page: to be checked for 2026). On the Caribbean coast the night starts later: festivos.com.co, an unofficial calendar, and viventura.fr both give midnight for Cartagena. For Barranquilla, El Heraldo reported in 2018 a lighting around 3 am on the 8th.
Quimbaya has its own opening time: according to the 2025 editions, the main lighting starts at 4 pm on 7 and 8 December. For Villa de Leyva, no time is published for 2026.
| City | Usual lighting | 2026 programme | Last documented edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bogotá | Nightfall on the 7th (city hall, 2019 page) | Not published | 2025: free concert at El Tunal park on 7 December (according to the 2025 editions) |
| Medellín | Night of the 7th for the velitas; alumbrados separate | Not confirmed | Alumbrados opened 28 November 2025 |
| Cali | Nightfall on the 7th, continuing into the night of the 8th (according to El País, unverified extract) | Not published | 2025-2026 season: 54 cases reported (firework tally) |
| Villa de Leyva | Not published for 2026 | Not published | 2025 edition: 7 and 8 December (colombia.travel) |
| Quimbaya | 7 and 8 December, main lighting from 4 pm | Not published | 43rd edition, 4 to 8 December 2025 |
| Cartagena | After midnight on the 7th (unofficial calendars, press) | Cabalgata 2026 not confirmed | Cabalgata 2025, 5 pm to 10 pm on the 7th according to the press |
| Barranquilla | Around 3 am on the 8th (press, 2018) | Not published | Tradition reported in 2018 |
| Santa Marta | Variable: evening of the 7th or dawn of the 8th | Not published | Tradition declining according to the press |
Source: festivos.com.co (unofficial calendar) for the principle of the start time, then bogota.gov.co, El País (unverified extract), colombia.travel, Radio Nacional and El Heraldo for each city, checked on 8 November 2026.
3. Bogotá: the biggest crowd, from nightfall on the 7th
Simón Bolívar Park and Plaza de Bolívar
Bogotá has the biggest crowd for the festival. Families light their candles at Simón Bolívar Park and on the Plaza de Bolívar from nightfall, according to the city of Bogotá (2019 page, consulted 8 November 2026, to be checked for 2026). According to the 2025 editions, the Filarmonica de Bogotá gave a free concert at El Tunal metropolitan park on 7 December. The 2026 programme was not published at this date: check the city’s agenda before you go.
The centre is the heart of the evening. La Candelaria, the colonial neighbourhood next to the Plaza de Bolívar, is best explored on foot, with its museums, churches and narrow lanes. Monserrate, the hill that overlooks the city, is lit up during the festive season: the 2025-2026 season ran from 28 November 2025 to 12 January 2026, with a return ticket at 32,000 COP on weekdays. 2026 times are not published.
The downside is documented. Bogotá recorded 35 people injured by fireworks in total from 1 to 9 December 2025 at 2 pm, including 9 minors and 10 people under the effect of alcohol, according to the Bogotá district health secretariat (bogota.gov.co, consulted 8 November 2026). See the safety section below.
Highlights
- A street festival, no ticket needed, at Simón Bolívar Park and on the Plaza de Bolívar
- La Candelaria on foot, with its colonial lanes and museums
- Monserrate lit up during the festive season, to be confirmed for 2026
This walking tour is not linked to the festival: it takes place in La Candelaria, the neighbourhood next to the Plaza de Bolívar. Its schedule was not known to our research: check it before booking.
4. Villa de Leyva: a festival at altitude, in Boyacá
Villa de Leyva, Boyacá
According to colombia.travel, the Festival de Luces of Villa de Leyva took place on 7 and 8 December 2025. Balconies, pavements and terraces are decorated with lanterns and candles, and the village square hosts a light show and fireworks. According to the guides we read, it is the inland festival closest to a postcard image: the experience is more intimate, but the village is packed on festival nights.
The 2026 programme is not published at this date. The 2025 dates are a guide, not a promise. Confirm them with the town hall or colombia.travel before you book accommodation.
Highlights
- The village square, decorated for the night, within walking distance
- The Pozos azules, about five minutes away, cited by colombia.travel as a nearby excursion
- A light show and fireworks, according to the 2025 editions
5. Quimbaya: a multi-day programme, in coffee country
Festival de velas y faroles, Quindío
For the 43rd edition, 4 to 8 December 2025, Radio Nacional announced a main lighting on 7 and 8 December from 4 pm, with around 1,500 lanterns made by the community. The festival is recognised as intangible cultural heritage of the Quindío department. According to the 2025 editions, the programme included a community rumbatón, theatre, a specialty coffee fair, Christmas comparsas and a night bike ride.
The candle contest, which rewards the most beautiful arrangement, has existed since 1982 according to viventura.fr. On Monday 8 December 2025, a prize rewarded the most illuminated street. These are elements of the 2025 edition, to be confirmed for 2026.
Highlights
- A programme spread over several days, rather than a single evening
- The candle contest and the most illuminated street, according to the 2025 edition
- Lanterns made by the community, in a town in the coffee region
6. Cali: a night that spills into the 8th
In Cali, according to El País (unverified extract), lighting starts at nightfall on the 7th and continues into the night of the 8th. The candle ritual is very visible in the neighbourhoods, according to the same source. The city hall’s tally for the 2025-2026 season counts 54 firework-related injuries reported, including 12 minors, from 1 December 2025 to 14 January 2026 (cali.gov.co, tally published 16 January 2026, consulted 8 November 2026).
The city’s advice is simple: no fireworks for minors, nor near them; do not mix alcohol and fireworks; and go to the emergency services if you are injured. For a visitor, the practical rule is to watch the fireworks from an open spot, not to set them off yourself.
7. Cartagena and Barranquilla: the night that starts after midnight
Centro Histórico and cabalgata de velitas
In Cartagena, the night is spent in the Centro Histórico. The cabalgata de velitas, organised by the Bolívar horse breeders’ association, ran on 7 December 2025 from 5 pm to 10 pm, according to the press (El Universal). The 2026 programme is not confirmed. The press also reported tensions between riders and the association over registration fees and exclusions (El Universal): check with the organisers before planning an evening around the cabalgata.
The 2025 night was the subject of a heavy security operation. According to El Universal (published 8 December 2025), police deployed more than 3,300 officers, received 779 calls to the 123 emergency number, 75 of them about brawls, made 9 arrests and seized 35,000 pyrotechnic units. Operations ran until 5 am. The district counted 8 injured after the night, according to the press of 9 December 2025.
Highlights
- The Centro Histórico, on foot, in the evening
- The cabalgata, if it is confirmed for 2026
- A festival that carries on after midnight
In Barranquilla, the celebration goes on until morning. El Heraldo reported in 2018 a lighting around 3 am on the 8th, a sancocho in the morning and the « guayabo », the velitas hangover. It is the only precise time found for the city, and it dates from 2018: it does not hold for 2026.
8. Medellín and Santa Marta: two special cases
The alumbrados of Medellín are a separate event from the velitas night. According to the Colombian press, the 2025 edition opened on 28 November 2025 at Parques del Río and runs until 12 January 2026 (Blu Radio, consulted 8 November 2026). One guide presents 7 December as the official start of the illuminations; the sources we found do not confirm this. For 2026, no official date has been found.
For the rest of Medellín and Cartagena, see our guide: Colombia 2026: Medellín, Cartagena and the coffee region.
In Santa Marta, according to El Heraldo, the tradition is more discreet and declining. The faroles are often handmade, from decorated paper. The moment of lighting varies: some families do it on the night of the 7th, others at dawn on the 8th. No official time for 2026 has been found.
9. Which city for which traveller?
The choice depends on the kind of night you want. According to the 2025 editions, Villa de Leyva and Quimbaya offer outdoor, structured programmes, which may suit a family with young children. The Bogotá and Cali tallies include minors among the injured: keep that in mind if you travel with children.
For a couple, or a first-time visitor, Bogotá brings together a park, a square and La Candelaria on foot, with a ride-hailing car for the way back. For a traveller who wants the latest night, Cartagena and Barranquilla.
10. Fireworks: the 2025 figures, and how to read them
Every year, the authorities publish tallies of people injured by fireworks. They cannot be compared with each other: some cover the night of the 7th alone, others a cumulative total from the start of the month or the whole season, and the sources differ. The table below keeps the date and scope of each figure.
| Indicator | Value | Date of measurement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fireworks injuries, Bogotá | 35, including 9 minors and 10 under the effect of alcohol | Cumulative, 1 to 9 December 2025, 2 pm | Bogotá district health secretariat (bogota.gov.co) |
| Firework-related cases, Cali | 54, including 12 minors | Season from 1 December 2025 to 14 January 2026 | Cali health secretariat (cali.gov.co) |
| Injured after the night, Cartagena | 8 | 9 December 2025 | Local press (El Universal) |
| Security operation, Cartagena | More than 3,300 police officers; 779 calls to 123; 9 arrests; 35,000 pyrotechnic units seized | Night of 7 to 8 December 2025, operations until 5 am | El Universal (8 December 2025) |
| Monserrate, return trip | 32,000 COP on weekdays | Season from 28 November 2025 to 12 January 2026 | Infobae (26 November 2025) |
Source: bogota.gov.co, cali.gov.co, El Universal and Infobae, checked on 8 November 2026.
No consolidated national tally for 2025 has been found. One press source, not open at the date of consultation, cites 231 cases nationwide as of 8 December 2025, including 170 on the night of the velitas, citing the Instituto Nacional de Salud (El Espectador).
What other guides don’t tell you
These six points come up rarely in the guides and articles that appear when you search for the festival. Each one is cross-checked against an open source, or flagged as such.
- 7 December is not a public holiday, 8 December is. In 2026, the 7th is an ordinary Monday and there is no long weekend, as the 8th’s fixed feast does not move (festivos.com.co, unofficial calendar; calendariodecolombia.com, both consulted 8 November 2026).
- Lighting time is not the same everywhere. In Cartagena and Barranquilla, the night starts after midnight. This rests on unofficial calendars and the press, with no open official source: cross-check with a local account before a specific trip (viventura.fr, consulted 8 November 2026).
- Injury tallies cannot be compared. Bogotá: 35 injured, cumulative from 1 to 9 December 2025 at 2 pm; Cali: 54 cases over the season from 1 December to 14 January; Cartagena: 8 injured after the 2025 night, according to the press. Each figure has its own scope (bogota.gov.co and cali.gov.co, consulted 8 November 2026).
- France warns against some areas and about scopolamine. As of 3 November 2026, France Diplomatie formally advises against travel to red zones, after an alert of 8 October 2026. The guides we read do not mention this. The department-by-department risk map could not be read: no level is therefore assigned to a city in this article (diplomatie.gouv.fr, consulted 8 November 2026).
- Medellín’s alumbrados are not confirmed for the night of the 7th. The 2025 edition opened on 28 November (press). One guide presents 7 December as the official start; the sources found do not confirm it, and no official 2026 date has been found (Blu Radio, consulted 8 November 2026).
- Quimbaya has departmental recognition. The festival is recognised as intangible cultural heritage of Quindío, at department level (Radio Nacional, 7 December 2025, consulted 8 November 2026).
Practical information for the night of 7 December 2026
For a French national on a tourist stay of less than 90 days, several secondary sources state that no visa is required. To be confirmed in the entry and stay section of diplomatie.gouv.fr, not re-read at the date of consultation. The usual rule requires a passport valid for at least six months, with no consensus among the sources.
This online pre-registration is completed between 72 hours and 1 hour before departure, according to Migración Colombia. Whether it is mandatory for a traveller arriving by air is disputed: press articles from summer 2026 present it as mandatory, others as optional. Check on the official site or with your airline before departure.
In Bogotá, at around 2,550 m altitude, December brings 19 to 23 °C by day and 10 to 11 °C at night, according to secondary sources. Bring a jacket for evening outdoor gatherings.
Monserrate: 32,000 COP return on weekdays, 2025-2026 season (Infobae, 26 November 2025, consulted 8 November 2026). Indicative conversion: about 3,570 COP to the euro, a rate cited by Portafolio on 15 October 2026 (extract, not opened), so 32,000 COP comes to roughly €9. Exchange rates move: do not take this for granted.
The press reports direct Paris–Bogotá flights with Air France and Avianca (extract, not opened). Check with the airlines, as timetables and fares change quickly.
In Bogotá, take a ride-hailing car on the night of the 7th and the morning of the 8th, when TransMilenio is packed. For Monserrate, 2026 times are not published: the 2025-2026 season ran from 28 November to 12 January, and times varied between sources.
Frequently asked questions
What is the exact date of Día de las Velitas in 2026?
The night of Monday 7 to Tuesday 8 December 2026. The 7th is an ordinary Monday, with no long weekend. The 8th is a national public holiday, the Immaculate Conception, which does not move. Source: festivos.com.co, unofficial calendar, consulted 8 November 2026.
Why are candles lit on 7 December?
The vigil comes before the feast of the Immaculate Conception, on 8 December. It honours the dogma proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in the bull Ineffabilis Deus, in 1854. Sources do not agree on the exact day of the bull, but all give the year. Candles and paper lanterns are placed where they can be seen: at windows, on balconies and along the pavements. Source: Wikipedia, consulted 8 November 2026.
What time does the celebration start?
There is no single start time. In Bogotá, candles are lit at nightfall on the 7th, according to the city hall (2019 page). In Cartagena, tradition waits until after midnight: that is what unofficial calendars and the press say, with no open official source. In Barranquilla, El Heraldo reported in 2018 a lighting around 3 am on the 8th. The 2026 programmes are not published. Source: festivos.com.co, unofficial calendar, consulted 8 November 2026.
Can you set off fireworks in Bogotá?
No. The Bogotá city hall reminds people that buying, selling and using fireworks is punishable under the Police Code. That page dates from 2019: the text in force should be checked. It gives 123 as the emergency number. The 2025 tallies show injuries every year, including among minors. Source: bogota.gov.co, consulted 8 November 2026.
How many people are injured each year?
Tallies vary with the cut-off date and the scope, and cannot be compared. In Bogotá, 35 people were injured in total from 1 to 9 December 2025 at 2 pm. In Cali, 54 cases were notified over the 2025-2026 season. In Cartagena, the press reported 8 injured after the 2025 night. No consolidated national tally for 2025 has been found. Source: bogota.gov.co and cali.gov.co, consulted 8 November 2026.
Which city should you choose to experience the festival?
For a structured programme, Villa de Leyva and Quimbaya: according to the 2025 editions, these are outdoor festivals with organised programmes. For the crowds and street life, Bogotá. For a night that runs into the small hours, Cartagena or Barranquilla. No 2026 programme is published at this date: check the dates with the town hall or colombia.travel before you book.
Do you need a visa for Colombia?
For a French national on a tourist stay of less than 90 days, several secondary sources state that no visa is required. Confirm this on diplomatie.gouv.fr. Check-Mig is an online pre-registration, completed between 72 hours and 1 hour before the flight. Whether it is mandatory for flights is disputed: check on migracioncolombia.gov.co before you leave.
Is travel safe in December 2026?
France Diplomatie, updated 3 November 2026, formally advises against travel to certain red zones, after an alert of 8 October 2026. It recommends secure transport, by day as well as by night, and warns against scopolamine. Check the department-by-department risk map before you plan. Source: diplomatie.gouv.fr, consulted 8 November 2026.
Sources
- festivos.com.co : Immaculate Conception feast and Día de las Velitas (unofficial calendar)
- calendariodecolombia.com : Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 December 2026, no long weekend
- calendariodecolombia.com, religious holidays : the 8 December feast is fixed
- Wikipedia, Day of the Little Candles : religious origin, candles and lanterns
- viventura.fr : Cartagena start times and Quimbaya candle contest
- colombia.travel : Festival de Luces of Villa de Leyva, 2025 edition
- Radio Nacional : Quimbaya Festival de Velas y Faroles, 2025 edition
- bogota.gov.co, velitas night : fireworks and Police Code (2019 page)
- bogota.gov.co, tally of 9 December 2025 : 35 injured in Bogotá, cumulative 1 to 9 December
- cali.gov.co, 2025-2026 season tally : 54 cases notified
- El País : lighting time in Cali (extract not opened, unverified)
- El Universal : Cartagena security operation, 8 December 2025
- El Heraldo : Barranquilla tradition, 2018 edition
- Blu Radio : Medellín alumbrados 2025
- France Diplomatie, travel advice, Colombia : update of 3 November 2026
- Migración Colombia : Check-Mig, general page
- Infobae : Monserrate, 2025-2026 season
Sources consulted on 8 November 2026, unless stated otherwise. 2026 programmes are not published at this date.
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