In Cali, music doesn’t sit quietly in the background. It shapes daily routines, connects communities, and keeps memory alive. The city’s cultural identity is built on three powerful musical lineages: Salsa Caleña, Afro-Pacific traditions, and Indigenous ritual dance. These forms give Cali its sound, its stories, and its strength. That same mix of influences also shows up in the food, layers of history and culture expressed through every flavor.
Salsa Caleña style: Fast, Focused, and Grounded in Community
Salsa reached Cali through the port of Buenaventura, but something unique happened here. DJs played the records at a faster speed, some say it was due to a technical setup with the turntables. By the time they corrected it, the dancers had already adapted. That shift gave birth to the Caleño style, marked by fast footwork, grounded posture, and explosive energy.
Dance schools across the city train year-round, preparing for everything from neighborhood showcases to the World Salsa Festival, where groups from around the world compete, and the Salsódromo parade during La Feria de Cali. But for many caleños, dancing isn’t about performance, it’s part of everyday life. People head to dance halls after work instead of gyms. Families dance together on weekends, or even as a warm-up before the half marathon. In the eastern neighborhoods, it feels like some kids learn to dance before they can walk.
Just as Salsa Caleña grew and evolved in Cali, the city’s cuisine has been shaped by its diverse roots. The rhythm of the city is mirrored in its food richness with culture. From the empanadas on every street corner to the tangy juices made with fresh local fruits, food in Cali is something you can feel, everybody say that the vibe hits different there, because of its food, its rhythms and its cultural diversity.
Petronio Álvarez Festival: The Sound of the Colombian Pacific
Held every August, the Petronio Álvarez Festival is one of Colombia’s most important cultural events. It brings together groups from villages across the Pacific coast to share marimba music, chirimía, violines caucanos, and traditional chants. Many of these artists come from rural communities with limited access to formal stages, so this moment matters. It’s a chance to be heard, to sustain their practice, and to keep a musical tradition alive.
For many musicians, Petronio Alvarez Festival is a lifeline. It offers visibility, income, and the means to continue teaching and preserving their craft. Beyond the stage, the festival is also a celebration of Pacific food, artisanal crafts, and traditional drinks like viche. A sugarcane-based spirit infused with herbs, often made by Afro-Colombian women, each batch tasting slightly different. The food, like the music, is rich, rooted, and full of stories. Petronio brings the sound and flavor of the Pacific coast into full focus.
Indigenous Dance at Loma de la Cruz
Every Thursday evening at Loma de la Cruz, Indigenous communities and neighbors gather in the open air for music and dance. It’s a space to reconnect, move, and stay grounded, physically, emotionally, and culturally.
Many of Cali’s Indigenous residents have been displaced from their ancestral lands in the highlands of Cauca. Still, their traditions continue. Through dance and music passed down across generations, they preserve a living archive of identity, resistance, and care. These gatherings are expressions of continuity. Just as central to Cali’s story as the quick steps of Salsa or the layered sounds of the Pacific.
A Perfect Mix: Cali’s Gastronomy Mirrors Its Music
Cali is a city where music and food share a common language. Just as its identity is shaped by Salsa, Afro-Pacific traditions, and Indigenous practices, its cuisine reflects those same roots, with influences from African, Indigenous, and Spanish cultures.
Food here is part of the culture. On the streets, in markets, and especially at the Petronio Álvarez Festival, you can taste this connection. Dishes like shrimp empanadas and piangua stew speak to the Pacific heritage of the region. Like the marimba music that fills the festival grounds, each plate carries memory, place, and care.
Cali is an open book. A city where music, art, and food are living expressions of its rich, diverse history. The city’s cultural landscape is shaped by waves of migration. From the Pacific coast, Indigenous territories, and other regions of Colombia. The result is a dynamic fusion of traditions, constantly evolving and interacting.
Cali offers a unique space to witness how music, art, and culture coalesce in everyday life. Visit the Petronio Álvarez Festival, learn some salsa and go to a salsa local club and feel the energy of the people, who continue to reimagine their traditions while honoring their roots.
Join us in August for Petronio Álvarez Festival Tour. Walk the city, taste its stories, and see how music, food, and tradition continue to shape its future. Whether you’re an artist or just deeply curious tourist, Cali has something to show you.
