The Buga National Agricultural Exhibition Fair (Feria Exposición Nacional Agropecuaria De Buga) is one of the most anticipated and traditional celebrations in Colombia. Held annually in the city of Buga, Valle del Cauca, this fair has established itself as an important cultural and economic event since its inception in 1951, being recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation.
 

In mid-July, in the municipality of Fresno, located in the coffee-growing region of Tolima, the Special Coffee Fair of Northern Tolima and Eastern Caldas ( Feria de Cafés Especiales del Norte del Tolima y el Oriente de Caldas) takes place, an event that aims to highlight the quality and diversity of the coffees produced in this area of the country.

The fair brings together coffee producers, experts, and enthusiasts. Coffee producers showcase their best beans, known for their origin, cultivation processes, and unique flavor notes.

In early February, the municipality of Lérida, located north of Tolima about 80 kilometers from Ibagué, celebrates its patronal feast in honor of Our Lady of Candelaria (Fiestas Patronales en Honor a la Virgen de la Candelaria), whose feast day is observed on the second day of the month.

The feast of the patron saint is celebrated with Masses held every hour from dawn until 7 p.m., where the faithful express their devotion and gratitude.

The New Year in Purificación is celebrated with the traditional Folkloric Festival of Southern Tolima (Festival Folclórico del Sur del Tolima), an event with over half a century of tradition. Traditionally, the festivities in Purificación are divided into two seasons.

The first season, which usually runs from the last days of December until January 2, has as its main event the Parade and Contest, in which the people of Purificación showcase their creativity by making the traditional effigies burned to symbolize the end of the year.

In July, the municipality of Carmen de Apicalá celebrates its patronal feast in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Fiestas de la Virgen del Carmen), one of the main events on the festive calendar of this town in eastern Tolima. Religious celebrations are the heart of the festivities.

In addition to the traditional solemn Mass held on July 16, there are serenades in honor of the Virgin Mary, as well as processions in which the image of the Virgin is carried through the main streets of the municipality, accompanied by prayers, songs, and expressions of faith.

Since 2003, June 29 has been celebrated as the Day of "Lechona Tolimense", a festivity through which the people of this department pay tribute to their traditional dish, a preparation made with pork and peas, baked inside the pig’s skin and typically served with white corn "arepa".

On this day in Ibagué, at Manuel Murillo Toro Park in the city center, more than 50 "lechona" producers offer the traditional dish, complete with white "arepa" and the essential crispy pork skin, in an event that runs from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

On June 29, the entire department of Tolima celebrates the Day of "Lechona Tolimense", a festivity established by departmental ordinance 020 of 2003 to honor this traditional dish of the region, made with pork stuffed with rice, peas, and spices.

In El Espinal, a town located about 55 kilometers from Ibagué, this date is celebrated with special joy as it coincides with the San Pedro festivities, an emblematic celebration in this area.

In June, the city of Ibagué celebrates its traditional Colombian Folkloric Carnival (Festival Folclórico Colombiano), a grand festival with over half a century of tradition that pays homage to the music, cuisine, dance, costumes, and other cultural expressions from all regions of the country.

This event, held as part of the San Juan festivities, has become one of the most important folkloric festivals in the country.

One of the festival’s highlights is the National Folklore Parade, featuring dance troupes from different departments of Colombia.

Around the national holiday of July 20, the municipality of Planadas in the south of Tolima celebrates its traditional Fairs and Festivals (Festival Folclórico y Cultural de Planadas), one of the main events in the town's festive calendar.

The festivals have a varied cultural, recreational and sports program.

One of the main events is the parade of groups in which different organizations and educational institutions of Planadas participate, honoring the history, culture and diversity of the municipality. 

In July in Chaparral, a municipality of Tolima, about 150 kilometers from Ibagué, the Great Equine Festival (Festival Equino de Chaparral) takes place within the framework of the town's fairs and festivals. The festival brings together lovers of horses and equine culture in a celebration of great tradition in the region.

The central event of the festival is the equine judging, an event that has the presence of judges from the Association of Horsemen of Tolima (Asocatol).