Buenos Aires Travel Guide: Events

February / March:
Birthplace of the seductive and sensual dance known as the Tango, the city of “fine airs” also plays host to the Buenos Aires Tango Festival during late February and sometimes early March. Close to 200 of the world’s finest Tango dancers unite to perform shows, exhibitions, give dancing displays and lessons, as well as showcase a one-minute film festival, culminating with the Metropolitan Ballroom Tango Championship finals. Attendees will be delighted to know that many shows and concerts of this officially-organized festival are free of charge.

March:
Coinciding with International Women’s Day and hugely popular with fitness enthusiasts, the yearly Marathon for Women covers 8,000 meters and begins its track at the University of Buenos Aires Law Faculty Building.

April:
The biggest event for bookworms of this Latin American metropolis is the three-week long Buenos Aires Book Festival. Drawing more than a million readers to the La Rural Exhibition Complex, this event is a can’t-miss for book aficionados.

May:
Argentine artists have the Feria de Galerías de Arte as a particular day, every year, to showcase their talents. Painters, graphic designers, photographers, videographers, sculptors and more display their most prized pieces during this art fair that was founded in 1991 and takes place each May at the Predio Ferial de Palermo.

To commemorate the anniversary of Argentina’s May Revolution - where several political and social events marked the transition from Spanish-rule to independent state – a Military Parade for the Revolucion de Mayo now takes place with Argentine Soldiers parading past the Casa de Gobierno (Presidential House).

June:
The man known as “King of Tango” died a tragic death during an airplane crash at the peak of his career on June 24, 1935. A week of the sexy, Argentine dance now marks the Anniversary of Carlos Cardel’s death, arguably the most important figure associated with the art of Tango.

July:
Founded by Silvina Szperling in 1995, the International Video-Dance Festival unites Latin American video-dance artists at the Ricardo Rojas Cultural Center every year. Here they learn about live multimedia installations, dance documentaries, and other seminars, lectures and workshops to help them shape their talents to express this modern art media.

October:
Internationally-renowned Tango dancers make the trek every October to Buenos Aires for the annual and week-long World Tango Festival. Featuring workshops taught by top Tango instructors and nightly performances of what some consider the most seductive dance ever created, this festival is sure to please.

November:
Polo fans from around the world have made their way to the annual Argentine Polo Open Championship since 1893. The most important international polo championship at club level, it takes place at the Catedral de Polo in the Palermo district of the city.

Celebrating the formation of the city’s first ever gay assembly in 1969, Buenos Aires Gay Pride Weekend now sees thousands upon thousands of participants. Starting at Plaza de Mayo and ending at Avenida de Mayo, this colorful parade of immense floats and over-the-top drag queens is a significant event for the citizens of this modern city.

December:

December 11 is the birthday of Tango legend Carlos Gardel. Appropriately so, it is also the day that porteños have dubbed National Tango Day and guests to the city on this particular day can enjoy a myriad of related events city-wide.