December events in Patagonia

Catriel –Río Negro– holds the Provincial Oil and Energy Festival, which recalls the discovery of the first oil well in Río Negro, near the town, on November 20, 1959.

It takes place at the Acceso Sur grounds and admission is free: two nights of concerts with national and local artists, a crafts fair, food stalls and stands from small businesses, institutions and companies linked to the oil and gas industry.

The date changes from year to year: in 2025 it was held on November 15 and 16, and in 2026 it takes place on December 5 and 6.

Every December 4, the feast of Saint Barbara, patron saint of miners, Río Turbio –Santa Cruz– celebrates the National Coal Festival.

It is a popular festival in honor of the patron saint, and traditionally visits inside the coal mine are organized on that day.

In the first half of December, Cervantes –Río Negro– hosts the Provincial Rodeo Riding Festival, the grand final of the Río Negro Rodeo Riding Championship, which decides the riders who represent the province at the National Horse Taming and Folklore Festival in Jesús María, Córdoba.

Over the weekend, the finals are held in the grupa surera, clina limpia and basto con encimera categories, along with a traditional country lunch, a country dance and the awards ceremony for the Río Negro champions.

In 2025 the final took place on December 6 and 7.

Every December 13, Comodoro Rivadavia –Chubut– celebrates the National Oil Festival, marking the anniversary of the discovery of oil in the city on December 13, 1907, while drilling for water.

The commemoration includes official ceremonies, tributes to oil workers and activities at the National Oil Museum, where old and modern oil extraction equipment is on display.

Every December, San Martín de los Andes –Neuquén– hosts the traditional Trabún, «Gathering of Peoples» (trabún means «gathering» in Mapuche).

The festival brings together the music and dance of the peoples of Argentina, Chile and other Latin American countries, and of their Indigenous cultures. It features three days of performances in Plaza San Martín by local, regional and Chilean artists, the Pichi Trabún for children, and stalls with crafts and traditional dishes that make the visit a colorful outing full of flavor.

Coronel Belisle –Río Negro–, one of the main alfalfa seed producing areas of the Middle Valley, hosts the Provincial Alfalfa Seed Festival, held together with the anniversary of the town, founded on December 12, 1913.

The festival includes a folk music gathering and a community barbecue.