Along with cumbia, the folk music form known as vallenato is a calling card of Colombian culture, and its Vallenata Legend Festival is a particularly momentous one, marking its 52nd edition this year April 26-30 in the city of Valledupar, in Colombia's northeast, about an hour and a half flight from Bogotá and just under four hours' drive from Cartagena.

Truth to tell, Colombian culture wouldn't be the same without this music, which goes back more than two centuries. With humble roots in rural troubadours mixing Spanish and African traditions, these days it's beloved enough among Colombians that UNESCO has classified it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, and it's even been extending its reach into neighbouring countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela.

Read more in our post Celebrating Colombia´s Folksy Vallenato Music.

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