MUSIC AND HOLIDAYS

As one of the most amazing things from Tolima. It is, as his capital folkloric name points, the musical city of Colombia. Tolima has a lot of famous singers and songwriters. Also it is important to say that here is where most of typical Colombian songs were born. Likewise, this department has a national contest of composition called “Leonor Buenaventura”, the Colombian Folkloric Festival and the "Concurso de Duetos Garzón y Collazos." and the National Contest of duets "Principes de la canción".

Nevado del Tolima from plane (October 20th, 2010) Tolima.[Photography]. Taken from: https://tropisme.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/nevado-del-tolima-from-plane/

Moreover Ibague, the capital of Tolima, is considered as the “Musical City of Colombia” for its dedication to musical events like the Music Festival and National Folklore Competition and for its Conservatory of Music, one of the best in the country.

Some rhythms from Tolima are “Bunde”, “Bambuco” “Sanjuanero”, “La Guabina”, “El Torbellino” and “La caña”. And some of the most representative songs are “Viviras mi Tolima”, “Bunde Tolimense”, “Tolima mio”, “Sanjuanero”, “Pueblito Viejo”, “Soy Colombiano”, so on. Those songs have a specific and aesthetics dance in which it is expressed our culture origins and traditions through dancing.

 Danzas Folclóricas del Tolima, Rodrigo Avila Osorio 18/05/2015

It is a little performance presented for the XI National Festival of folk dance by some young people showing typical dances from Tolima. 

Also, some of the most important musicians from there are: Cantilicio Rojas, Gentil Montaña, Garzón y Collazos, Luis Enrique Aragón Farkas, Régulo Ramírez, Patrocinio Ortíz, Emeterio y Felipe 'Los Tolimenes' (who are comedians too), Silva y Villalba, Onofre Bonilla and Miguel Antonio Ospina Gómez.

Holidays 

Annual Events
Among the most important dates, there are: 

February: Festival of the Subienda (Honda).

March: National duets competition (Ibagué).

April: Tolima day – 12^th April 

May: Fairs and Festivals of Natagaima. (Natagaima).

June: National Festival of the Colombian folklore (Ibagué)

     Festivals of San Juan and San Pedro 23^th to 30^th June

     Bunde tolimense Festival (Espinal).

     Tamal day – 24^th June

December: Festival of the Rice (Saldaña)

    Bunde Festival (Espinal)

    Southern Tolima Folk Festival (Purificación).

Desfile día del Tolima – Carmen de Apicala, Alcadía Carmen de Apicala Tolima 18/05/2015 

As it was shown in the video, They celebrate in that way some holidays there, with parades, wearing typical customs, dancing, marching or walking through a specific place in a certain path, it means, that everyone is going to take the same tour; with some flags and posters with phrases or something what they want to be identified for, such as one of the lasts that says “que orgullosos nos sentimos de ser tolimenses” in English “How proud are we for being tolimenses”. Parades also has marching bands from schools on the place where they are celebrating, different types of people, such as students from different schools, firefighters, organizations, so on. For example, the video shows a parade made for the “Día del Tolima” in English “Tolima day”, in Carmen de Apicala.