Mate and a lounge chair or chorizo a la pomarola? It’s a tough choice because this weekend, two rural towns very close to Buenos Aires are hosting a festival dedicated to chorizo a la polarola, while another is celebrating mate with a festival. The good news? They’re on different days, so you don’t have to choose—you can go to both.
Here’s what you’ll find at each of these popular festivals, both of which are celebrating their first editions this Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27.
Saturday, September 26: The first edition of the Chorizo a la Pomarola Festival in La Colina
If you love stews and railroad towns, your Saturday destination is La Colina, a town in the General La Madrid district, 475 km from Buenos Aires. To celebrate its 115-year history, La Colina decided to pull out all the stops and launch a food festival to celebrate chorizo.
More than 1,000 chorizos a la pomarola will be cooked live in a giant pot, and the day kicks off with a criollo festival featuring a traditional parade of groups on horseback. Throughout the day, you’ll be able to stroll through the artisans’ market, visit the popular cantina, and watch live performances by regional artists.
Sunday, September 27: The First Festival of Mate and Deck Chairs in Arrecifes
On Sunday, the plan is to relax in the sun just two hours from the Federal Capital. Arrecifes is famous for being the “Cradle of Champions” of auto racing, and to leave that fast-paced atmosphere behind, it’s launching its Festival of Mate and Lounge Chairs.
Starting at noon in Plaza Mitre, all you have to do is show up with a bag packed with a thermos and a beach chair, then pick your spot on the grass to enjoy the afternoon. You’ll find a lineup of folk performances featuring the Arrecifes Municipal Ballet, Cacho Plana, Rezabaile, Nativa, Joaquín Slaiman, and La Clave Folclórica.
Plus, there’ll be an entrepreneurs’ fair, traditional foods, and raffles during the festival. Arrecifes is located on Route 8, just 180 km from Buenos Aires. It’s the perfect option for a day trip.
How to get there
To get to the town of La Colina, take the Riccheri Expressway and merge onto the Ezeiza-Cañuelas Expressway to reach National Route 205. Then, continue on National Route 205 through Saladillo until you reach Provincial Route 51. Finally, take Provincial Route 86, which leads directly to General La Madrid and the entrance to La Colina.
If you prefer to take public transportation, long-distance buses depart from the Retiro or Dellepiane Terminal toward the city of General La Madrid (companies such as Plusmar or Jetmar). From the town center, you can take a taxi (25 km).
If you’re heading to the Mate and Deck Chair Festival in Arrecifes, it’s just 180 km from Buenos Aires.
It’s a direct and very quick route. You’ll need to leave Buenos Aires via the Pan-American Highway (North Access), take the Pilar Branch, and continue straight on National Route 8. Follow National Route 8 to kilometer 180, where you’ll enter directly into downtown Arrecifes.
There are several daily bus departures from the Retiro Terminal (companies like Chevallier) that drop you off at the Arrecifes Terminal in about a 3-hour trip—ideal for a day trip without having to drive.
