The chicharrón that was born at the bus stops along the Barranquilla-Cartagena highway has its festival in Baranoa: starting today, the XXIII edition of the festival

NewsThe 20 de Julio corridor will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. until Monday. The traditional dish costs $25,000. Love Chicharrón Photo: EL TIEMPOJOURNALIST10.10.2026 09:50 Updated: 10.10.2026 09:50 Baranoa, Atlántico, fires up its stoves starting this Saturday, October 10, for the 23rd edition of the Chicharrón Festival, which will run until the holiday Monday the 12th. READ ALSO Twenty-eight restaurants and makers from the municipality will serve at the gastronomic corridor in the 20 de Julio sector from 6:30 in the morning until 2:00 in the early morning, with traditional chicharrón at 25,000 pesos and a menu of new preparations designed to bring visitors back more than once. The festival is organized by the Association of Chicharrón Makers of Baranoa and Atlántico and the municipal Mayor's Office, with the support of Ruta 23 of the Atlántico Governor's Office, the program that accompanies the department's gastronomic festivals. For Governor Eduardo Verano, it is a tradition passed down from generation to generation that today "has the ability to attract visitors, move commerce, and generate income for hundreds of families." From roadside stop to festivalLong before there was a festival, Baranoa was already known as the Chicharrón Capital. The fame was made in the middle of the last century along La Cordialidad, the highway that connects Barranquilla with Cartagena. There, families from the town set up roadside stands to sell travelers and drivers chicharrón with boiled yuca, bollo limpio, and lime. Baranoa-style chicharrón is served with boiled yuca, bollo limpio, and lime. Photo: Governor's OfficeThe recipe has remained almost intact. Baranoa chicharrón keeps the skin, fat, and meat, and is prepared with a seasoning learned at home. That's how Rafael Ramírez, one of the makers, tells it: "It's something we learned as a family and turned into our work. Several people make a living from this, and each generation learns the preparation, which helps keep this story from being lost." READ ALSO Behind each dish moves an entire chain, with restaurants, butchers, yuca growers, bollo makers, and merchants from the municipality. From traditional to Bipolar ChicharrónThe classic remains the main dish, but this time the restaurants dared to play. The menu features the Tríada de Chicharrón de Luna Verde, the Cevicharrón de Cerdo Sabrosón, the Tramacazo Chicharronero from El Fogón Costeño, the Porchetta en Focaccia from La Porcheta, the Ceviche de Chicharrón from Brisas del Guájaro, the Tortillarrón from El Totumazo, the Costillón from La Parada del Sazón, the Chicharrón Bipolar from Abrasao, and the Fantasía de Chicharrón from Donde Morgan. The festival pays homage to Jaime Jurado, 'El Cachaco', founder of Los Arrieros de Jaime. Photo: Governor's Office"We have the traditional chicharrón, which is the flavor that identifies us, but we also wanted to show the creativity of our restaurants. There are different offerings so people can come several times, taste, and discover new ways to enjoy this product that is part of our history," explained Milena Navarro, president of the makers' association. Street dancing and a tribute to 'El Cachaco'On Sunday, October 11, starting at 3:00 in the afternoon, a small stage will be set up on the street between the Abrasao and Donde Walberto restaurants. There, Son Arcade, Infinity, Elisium, the Semillero del Cumbión 79, and the Imperio Dance Artistic and Cultural Training School, all from Baranoa, will perform. There will also be an artisan fair. "All the acts that will be on the stage are from Baranoa, and that also fills us with pride," said Merledys Iglesias, the municipality's Culture coordinator. Twenty-eight restaurants from the 20 de Julio sector are participating in the 23rd edition of the festival. Photo: Atlántico Governor's OfficeThis edition is dedicated to the memory of Jaime Jurado, 'El Cachaco', founder of Los Arrieros de Jaime. His family remembers him as the man who changed a local cooking custom. READ ALSO "He is recognized as the pioneer of the cooked pork chop because, as the story goes, before him no one cooked the chop before frying it," said his brother Yesid Jurado. For those arriving by car, Mayor Edinson Palma announced a contingency plan with parking zones and support from the Departmental Traffic authority, the Police, and Invías. "We have a whole contingency plan to avoid traffic jams, guarantee mobility, and provide comfort to visitors during the festival," he said. You may be interested inMaía and Marbelle join forces in 'Noches largas'. Photo: Follow all the news from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. 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