The city of La Paz braces for the renowned Gran Poder festival this Saturday with thousands of dancers and musicians gearing up to enliven the city’s cobbled streets.

A Symphony of Movement and Sound: An estimated 50,000 dancers, adorned in the unique costumes of their respective fraternities, are poised to grace the streets with folkloric dances, each a testament to Bolivia’s rich cultural heritage. Accompanied by the powering beats of 20,000 musicians, the festival promises an infectious energy that sweeps through every corner of the city center.

74 Fraternities Paint the Town Red (Yellow, and Green): Seventy-four brotherhoods will participate in the event, each representing a Bolivian folkloric dance. They will depart from the starting point at the Cemenerio every ten minutes, beginning at 07:00 and continuing until 19:10. According to municipal projections, the festival is expected to attract a record-breaking crowd of 300,000 attendees.

Economic Impact: Beyond its cultural significance, the Gran Poder festival serves as a potent economic catalyst. Organizers forecast an economic injection of $160 million, a substantial increase from the $65 million generated in 2023.

La Paz on Friday in Preparation of the Gran Poder: As preparations intensify, travelers should anticipate potential traffic disruptions on Friday. Road closures will be in effect to facilitate the installation of pedestrian crossings. Gallardo and Illampu streets will be inaccessible from 8:00 AM, while sections of Camacho Avenue will close starting at 2:00 PM.

Gran Poder Route: The folkloric parade starts in the Cementerio, Garita de Lima Square, traveling through the city along Buenos Aires Avenue, Vicente Ochoa Street, Sebastián Segurola Street, Antonio Gallardo Street, Gran Poder Square, Sagárnaga Street, Illampu Street, Vicenta Juaregui Eguino Square, José Manuel Pando Street, and ending on Simón Bolívar Avenue via the Obelisk and Camacho Avenue.

Gran Poder App: Building on last year’s success, the Municipality of La Paz is releasing an updated Gran Poder mobile app, offering real-time tracking of fraternity movements along the parade map. Users can also access information on medical facilities, ambulances, grandstands, pedestrian crossings, and receive alerts about missing persons. The app will be available for download starting Friday on both the App Store and Google Play Store.

Range of Prices for Seats: We are polling several stand vendors in real time to get the prices for each leg of the Gran Poder so you can get a good deal.

Camacho Avenue Average: 100 Bs.

Prado: 70-80 Bs.

Montes: 50 Bs.

Pando: 40 Bs.

Illampu: 40-50 Bs.

Sagarnaga: 10-20 Bs.

Max Paredes: 30-50 Bs.

Vicente Ochoa, Buenos Aires, Plaza Garita de Lima, Bautista: Neighborhood stands, not for sale.

Gran Poder Official Roster and Insider Tips: We spoke with several people organizing the Gran Poder, which shared their recommendations which are highlighted in bold on the official roster of fraternities that you will find below: