Arequipa celebrates 486th anniversary with historic play and nine‑day Feria

The city of Arequipa marks its 486th founding anniversary with a series of cultural events. The theatre group Teatro Contracorriente presents the play “1950”, dramatizing the 1950 student revolt led by pupils of the historic Colegio Independencia Americana. Written by Sergio Podestá and directed by Mauricio Rodríguez‑Camargo, the production opens on 12 August with a second performance on 22 August at the Teatro Fénix in the city centre.

Simultaneously, the Feria de Arequipa 2026 runs from 8 to 16 August at the Cerro Juli convention centre. The nine‑day fair combines a gastronomic route showcasing local, Peruvian and international cuisine with nightly concerts, trade exhibitions, technology, fashion and real‑estate pavilions, forming the main commercial and social centerpiece of the anniversary celebrations.