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AFOVIC Leads After Day One at Puno’s Candelaria Lights Dance Contest

A projected S/566 million boost underscores the festival’s outsized pull on Puno’s economy.

Overview

  • Caporales AFOVIC topped the opening day with 64 points, followed by Caporales Centralistas Puno (62.06), Diablada Centinelas del Altiplano (62), Diablada Bellavista (61.86) and Morenada Laykakota (61.40).
  • The 59th Traje de Luces competition runs Feb. 8–10 at the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano stadium with 97 competing conjuntos and thousands of dancers.
  • Organizers scheduled the folkloric parade and veneration for Monday and Tuesday, with more than 30,000 dancers covering a route of over 5 kilometers to honor the Virgen at the sanctuary.
  • Caja Arequipa announced support for the festivities and highlighted its regional footprint, reporting S/1,265 million in loans and 71,263 credit clients in Puno as of January 2026.
  • Visibility grew with singer Milena Warthon debuting as a dancer and pledging three years of participation, while foreign visitors—such as an Australian tourist—praised the spectacle and street performances.