What's on in Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz de la Sierra), Bolivia through the year

Quiet — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in January.

Busy — Carnaval cruceno, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Carnaval cruceno

  1 Feb – 10 Mar · usuallyCarnivalCrowdedClosures

  The city's own carnival, months of comparsa parties building to a corso through the centre and days of water fights afterwards. Offices and much of the centre shut for the week. Source ↗

Busy — Carnaval cruceno, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Carnaval cruceno (1 Feb – 10 Mar (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in April.

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

• Season

  Surazo season

  1 May – 31 Aug · usuallyWind seasonRisk

  Cold air pushes up from the far south several times a winter and the lowland heat drops away in a few hours, taking grey drizzle with it. Locals keep a jacket in the car for it. Source ↗

Busy — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Surazo season (1 May – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Hazard

  Burning season smoke

  15 Jul – 31 Oct · usuallySmoke season

  Land clearing fires across the lowlands send smoke over the city in the late dry season, worst in dry years. Visibility drops, air quality turns poor and departures from Viru Viru have been suspended for hours at a time. Source ↗

Still on: Surazo season (1 May – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Independence Day

• Holiday

  Independence Day

  5–7 AugNational holidayClosuresCrowded

  6 August is Bolivia's national day: schoolchildren, civic groups and the military parade around the main square, flags hang from every building, and banks, offices and many shops close. Streets in the centre are closed for the parades. Source ↗

Still on: Surazo season (1 May – 31 Aug (usually)), Burning season smoke (15 Jul – 31 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Expocruz, Departmental day

• Festival

  Expocruz

  18–27 SepMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  The country's biggest trade fair takes over the fairground for ten days in late September and the city's hotels with it. It is business by day and a concert ground by night. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Departmental day

  24 SepNational holidayClosuresCrowded

  The 24th marks the 1810 libertarian cry and the department takes the day off for it, with a parade and green and white on everything. It lands in the middle of the fair. Source ↗

Still on: Burning season smoke (15 Jul – 31 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Burning season smoke (15 Jul – 31 Oct (usually))

Busy — Todos Santos

• Holiday

  Todos Santos

  1–2 NovNational holidayClosures

  2 November is a public holiday: families set out tables of bread figures, sweets and the dead's favourite foods from midday on 1 November, then visit the cemeteries on the 2nd, where children pray at graves for treats. Source ↗

Quiet — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in December.