Riosucio

Riosucio was created in 1819 when colonial authorities pushed two neighbouring settlements - one indigenous, one of Spanish and mixed population - into a single town, and they refused to mix, keeping two churches and two plazas at either end of one street with a wall between them for years. The Carnaval de Riosucio grew out of the attempt to reconcile them: a devil figure was adopted as the symbol under whose authority both sides could celebrate together, which is a genuinely unusual founding logic for a festival. It is held every two years in January of odd years, over several days, with cuadrillas performing satirical verses, a large devil effigy, processions and drinking of guarapo. The town has substantial Embera indigenous population and reservations nearby.

What you actually see

• Two plazas and two churches - from the forced union of 1819.
• A devil as the carnival's presiding figure - adopted to reconcile the halves.
• Cuadrillas performing satirical verse - the carnival's core.
• Held every two years - January of odd-numbered years.

When to go

January of odd-numbered years for the carnival. Several days.

Honest expectations

The carnival is biennial - in even years there is no festival. Accommodation during it is very scarce. The town is otherwise quiet and remote. Roads are winding.

Nearby

Supia is south; Manizales is south-east.