Guatemala Live Events
Semana Santa, the Barriletes Gigantes and the Rabin Ajau pageant
Guatemala's live events calendar is rooted in its extraordinary Maya and colonial heritage — Semana Santa in Antigua is the world's most spectacular Holy Week, the Barriletes Gigantes (Giant Kites) festival on All Saints' Day is one of the most visually extraordinary events in the Americas, and the Rabin Ajau pageant celebrates indigenous Maya queen traditions.
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Barriletes Gigantes — Giant Kites Festival
Giant kites up to 20 metres across flown over Maya cemeteries on All Saints' Day
The Barriletes Gigantes (Giant Kites) festival is one of the most visually extraordinary events in the Americas — held on 1 November (All Saints' Day) in the towns of Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango near Antigua Guatemala. Teams of young men spend months constructing enormous kites — up to 20 metres in diameter — from tissue paper and bamboo, decorated with intricate geometric designs. On All Saints' Day, the kites are flown over the local cemeteries, where families gather to honour their dead. The combination of the giant kites, the decorated graves, the Maya costumes, and the extraordinary atmosphere of a community honouring its ancestors creates one of the most moving and visually spectacular events in Guatemala.
Event Highlights
- Giant kites up to 20 metres in diameter — months of construction
- Flown over Maya cemeteries on All Saints' Day
- Intricate geometric designs in brilliant colours
- Families gathering to honour their dead in traditional Maya dress
- One of the most visually extraordinary events in the Americas
- Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango — two towns, two festivals on the same day
What to Do There
- Watch the giant kites being launched
- Visit the decorated cemetery
- See the Maya families in traditional dress
- Visit both Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango (30 minutes apart)
- Combine with Antigua Guatemala (30 minutes away)
Event Info
Next Event
1 November annually
Location
Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, near Antigua Guatemala
Duration
1 day
Ticket Price
Free to watch
Travel Tips
- ·Fly to Guatemala City via Miami (9–10 hours from London), then shuttle to Antigua (1 hour)
- ·Arrive early — the kites are launched from 10am
- ·Hire a local guide or join a tour from Antigua
- ·Combine with Antigua's Día de los Muertos cemetery decorations
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