Olmue

Olmue sits in a valley below Cerro La Campana in country that is central Chilean huaso country - horses, rodeo, and the food and music that go with it - and it has run the Festival del Huaso de Olmue since 1970, held each January in the El Patagual amphitheatre, a natural bowl in the hills, and broadcast nationally. It is the counterpart to Vina's international festival and is built on Chilean folk and popular music rather than on international acts. The town is also the main access point for the Granizo and Cajon Grande sectors of La Campana national park, and much of the accommodation exists for both.

History

Around 1400 troops sent by the Inca Huayna Cápac set up mitimae colonies in the valley, without changing the language or way of life of the people already here. Pedro de Valdivia later crossed it on his way to found Santiago, and its mountain route, La Dormida - "the sleeping place", where travellers rested - became the usual road between Valparaíso and Santiago. The Spanish crown granted the land to General Alonso de Riveros y Figueroa as an encomienda, and his widow, Mariana de Osorio, left the Gulmué estate in her will of 26 May 1612 to the Indigenous people who worked it and their descendants. The commune of Olmué was created on 14 October 1893 (Wikipedia, Olmué).

Highlights

• Huaso country - horses, rodeo and the culture around them.
• A folk festival since 1970 - each January, broadcast nationally.
• The El Patagual amphitheatre - a natural bowl in the hills.
• The gate to La Campana - the Granizo and Cajon Grande sectors.

When to go

Year round; January for the festival, when the town is full. Half a day.

Things to know

Accommodation is booked out and priced up for festival week. Outside that the town is quiet and functional. The park sectors close on high fire risk days in summer. Rodeo is a live ethical argument in Chile.

Nearby

La Campana national park is above; Limache and Valparaiso are west.

Key facts