Ovejas celebrates the National Gaitas Festival

Every year, the town of Ovejas, located in the Sucre department in northern Colombia, celebrates an important cultural event: the National Gaitas Festival. This festival, of great symbolic significance for the Caribbean region, pays tribute to the gaita, a traditional musical instrument of indigenous origin, emblematic of Colombia’s musical heritage. For four days, Ovejas comes alive to the rhythm of numerous festivities, including music contests, traditional singing, partner dances, and other artistic performances that make the local music resonate throughout the town.

The event attracts numerous visitors every year, both local, national, and even international. This influx represents an excellent opportunity to highlight not only the cultural richness of the region but also local initiatives committed to environmental preservation and rural development. Envol-Vert has participated alongside representatives from the Ovejas villages in the artisan and gastronomic fair organized alongside the festival. It was an opportunity to discover and promote jams, chutneys, and other products made by the communities from forest resources.

Envol Vert’s participation is not limited to simply promoting artisanal products. It is also an occasion for the association to raise public awareness about the protection of the tropical dry forest, a unique ecosystem rich in biodiversity but currently under severe threat. Through these interactions, the association helps educate the public about ecosystem conservation and promotes environmentally friendly and sustainable rural development.