Many Bolivia festivals are for religious celebrations, both Christian and traditional festivals which were celebrated by their forefathers.
Parades, elaborate dress, singing, dancing and eating of Bolivian cuisine all feature in their festivities, along with lots of drinking and merriment.
Alasitas, the Festival of Abundance, is an Aymaran festival which was traditionally celebrated in September at harvest time. Nowadays the Alasitas festival takes place in January and miniature Ekkekko (the god of abundance) statues are purchased, along with anything else you can imagine in miniature.
The Bolivians purchase what they want in the hope that Ekkekko will grant them that item in the coming year. Alasitas provides a great opportunity for shopping, to buy handicrafts and try a selection of typical foods. In Santa Cruz the Alasitas fiesta still takes place in September.
Semana Santa (Easter) has various religious parades take place across the country as the Virgin Mary is paraded through the streets. In El Alto, an agricultural fair takes place on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday Bolivians walk a pilgrimage from La Paz.
