Tours and Activities:

Traditional Lamb Festival

In early February, the community gathers to enjoy a day outdoors, to the rhythm of cuecas and valseados, where the star of the show is lamb-based cuisine.

Puerto Montt offers a wide variety of attractions and, thanks to its proximity to rural areas, has an active calendar of traditional celebrations that preserve local traditions. The Río Chico Lamb Festival is one of them: an event with several years of history that maintains its enthusiasm and appeal intact.

The route to Río Chico runs along the coast and crosses inland roads surrounded by vegetation and historic buildings. On each hill, we discover churches, barns, and old houses, vestiges of the first German colonies established in the area.

The arrival is announced from afar: the smoke from the grills and the cheerful folk songs that can be heard guide visitors to the venue. Once inside, the aroma of the specialties being cooked at the food stalls is noticeable. In the neat kitchens, women rush around their huge pots and offer a space with tables sheltered from the midday sun.

Looking at the menus, we chose from different traditional options such as lambseafood empanadas, as well as lamb casserole with luche, a tasty seaweed widely used in local cuisine. The men are in charge of the barbecues, slowly turning the skewers to ensure even cooking. In the center of the grounds stands the main stage, where live music accompanies the entire day.

We improvised a picnic with our pieces of lamb, some anticuchos, empanadas, and even some milcaos in a very comfortable space under some trees. We tried some delicious, freshly prepared, homemade chicha, then visited the craft stalls and let the children play freely.

We enjoyed the music while those present accompanied the rhythms with their hands and accepted the invitation to dance. When the beloved group Amaneceres del Sur performed, the enthusiasm grew, and everyone joined in with cuecas, valseados, and correteados.

During the visit, one of the organizers shared details about the preparation of the lamb on a spit: “First, it is marinated in a homemade brine, which is added several times during cooking.” It starts with a low heat and ends with a high heat to brown it well. In total, it takes about three hours of work, which is always accompanied by good wine and friends.

Although the motto was “until the candles burn out,” in our case, we began our return trip at the end of the afternoon. As we left, we were left with the feeling of having participated in an authentic celebration, where Río Chico shows its identity and shares its deep-rooted customs with those who come to enjoy this experience.

See also: Hotels in Puerto Montt and other accommodation venues