Calderilla: Patron Saint Festivals and Tradition

La Calderilla is shaped by festivals, processions and communal meals. The celebrations combine religious traditions with specific places in town: images are carried along National Route 9, and locro is part of the festive meals. If you are looking for cultural experiences on your trip, these customs offer a special reason to get to know Calderilla better.

A Feast Day in Honor of María Auxiliadora

The feast day in honor of María Auxiliadora has been celebrated in La Calderilla every year on May 25 since 1986. The fixed date can help you plan your trip if you would like to arrange your stay around a local celebration. This gives you a specific feast day to consider when choosing when to travel, rather than linking your visit only to a general search for regional culture.

The celebration begins at the entrance to Capilla San Roque with a patriotic hot chocolate for residents and government representatives. After Mass, the procession carrying the images of the Virgen María Auxiliadora follows National Route 9 south toward La Calderilla. The celebration concludes with a communal locro meal at Pedro Lira School. The opening, procession and shared meal give the festival a clear sequence and connect the chapel, road and school with its different parts.

San Roque: Procession, Gauchos and Locro

The feast day of San Roque is also marked by a procession. Images of Saint San Roque are traditionally carried along National Route 9 through La Calderilla. Gauchos from various local fortines come to La Calderilla and accompany the procession. It ends with a parade in front of Capilla San Roque. Both the images of the saint and the participating fortines, as well as the finale in front of the chapel, are characteristic elements of this festival.

The feast day of San Roque also includes a locro lunch, offered by local fortines with support from the municipality, which brings the celebration to a close. The celebration of María Auxiliadora also features a communal locro meal, but at Pedro Lira School. If you are interested in local food culture, you can distinguish between two different festive settings in which locro plays a part.

Getting Around Town and the Region

SAETA’s Corredor 6 route passes through La Calderilla. Among the general and tourist destinations served by this route is Pileta La Calderilla.

In the wider region, the traditional annual Marcha Patriótica connects Salta and Jujuy on horseback along the old Camino Real. Participants include the Fortines La Calderilla and San Roque, among others. The Marcha broadens the focus beyond local patron saint festivals to a tradition that connects both provinces and the old route.

To explore more destinations, you can also discover Vaqueros and La Caldera.

For the broader travel overview: La Caldera Department.