The celebration of New Year’s Eve in Colombia is one of the most anticipated dates on the country’s festive calendar. Every Dec. 31, families and friends come together to bid farewell to the outgoing year and welcome the new cycle with parties, music, traditional food, and a series of popular customs known as agüeros — rituals believed to attract prosperity, health, love, and travel in the months ahead.
Although celebrations vary from region to region, there is one common element: An atmosphere of collective joy that begins in the early evening and extends into the early hours of Jan. 1. From intimate gatherings at home to large-scale events in plazas, beaches, and historic spaces, New Year’s Eve is celebrated throughout the country.
Family gatherings, traditional food, and music to welcome the New Year in Colombia
In Colombia, the night of Dec. 31 usually begins with a special dinner shared with family or friends, considered the centerpiece of the celebration. Traditional dishes such as lechona, tamales, buñuelos, natilla, rice cakes, and a wide variety of side dishes — varying by region — are commonly served at the table.
After dinner, music takes center stage. Rhythms such as salsa, vallenato, tropical music, and cumbia accompany the countdown to midnight and keep people dancing for hours. In many cities and towns, open-air street parties (verbenas) and concerts are organized, while at home the celebration continues with sound systems and long gatherings.
Fireworks are also part of the spectacle, although their use is regulated in several cities for safety reasons. Even so, in many parts of the country, the sky lights up at midnight, symbolically marking the beginning of the new year.
New Year’s rituals: superstition and popular tradition
One of the most distinctive aspects of New Year’s Eve in Colombia is the agüeros, rituals full of symbolism that are mainly practiced at midnight. Among the most popular is eating 12 grapes, one for each month of the year, while making a wish with every chime of the clock.
Another widely practiced ritual is walking outside with an empty suitcase, in the hope of attracting travel and new adventures. It is also common to wear yellow underwear, associated with prosperity and good luck, as well as to carry lentils in one’s pockets, a gesture symbolizing economic abundance.
One of the most striking traditions is the burning of the Old Year effigy, a doll made of rags and stuffing that represents the negative aspects of the year that is ending. Setting it on fire at midnight symbolizes leaving difficulties behind and starting anew.
Iconic celebrations on Colombia’s Caribbean Coast
In tourist cities such as Cartagena, New Year’s Eve takes on a special character. Dozens of families and visitors gather along the city walls, the Clock Tower, and the historic center to welcome the New Year with music, toasts, and a fireworks display that lights up the bay and has become one of the most photographed events in the country.
@cartagenadeindias_ FELIZ AÑO NUEVO en Cartagena. . #colombia #viajacolombia #amarcolombia #viajacolombia🇨🇴pasajes #agenciadeturismo #medellin #cartagena #barranquilla #cartagenadeindias🇨🇴 #cartagenacolombia #cartagenacolombia #barranquillacolombia #cartagenadeindias #barranquillacolombia ♬ Vale la Pena – Live – Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
In Santa Marta, thousands of people welcome the New Year on the beaches of El Rodadero, where locals and tourists come together to listen to music, share food, and enjoy the festive atmosphere by the sea in a celebration that lasts until sunrise.
@santamartaiscrazy 😮 🎆 Así recibieron los turistas en Santa Marta el año nuevo 👏🏻👏🏻 un fieston masivo en el rodadero, que bacano… #santamarta #rodadero ♬ sonido original – Santamartaiscrazy