Festival of San Lorenzo

[1] The festival celebrates Saint Lawrence, a deacon from Spain, who was martyred during the Roman's persecution of the Catholic Church in 258 during the rule of Valerian.

"[2] The celebration begins on August 6 each year, when hundreds of religious dancers arrive in the city, from nearby places such as Iquique, Calama, Arica, Alto Hospicio, and Tocopilla.

[3] In 2013, a large number of cases of influenza led to infection control methods being implemented at the festival.

[4] The festival was cancelled by Guillermo Vera, bishop of the diocese of Iquique, in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.

[5] There is a second, smaller festival, the feast of "La Reliquia", held on the last Sunday of April of each year, to celebrate the town obtaining a relic of Saint Lawrence in 1995.